PSG beat Barcelona to achieve Champions League semi-finals | EUROtoday

Issued on: 17/04/2024 – 00:41Modified: 17/04/2024 – 00:44

3 min

Raphinha fired Barcelona forward early on however Ronald Araujo’s Twenty ninth-minute purple card turned the tide in PSG’s favour, regardless of the Spanish champions main by two objectives following a 3-2 quarter-final first-leg win.

Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha levelled the tie for PSG and the lethal Mbappe hit a brace to place them into the ultimate 4 for the primary time since 2021.

The French champions have by no means received the trophy regardless of large funding however demonstrated they’ve the attacking weapons of their squad to take action.

PSG coach Luis Enrique, who led Barca to the 2015 Champions League, mentioned he believed his workforce would flip issues round regardless of by no means having managed to after a first-leg house defeat, and so it proved.

“It looked bad but the team concentrated — whatever happened, we had to beat Barcelona,” mentioned Dembele, whistled closely by followers of his former membership.

Five-time winners Barcelona had been dreaming of a primary semi-final return since 2019 however Araujo’s purple card for knocking down the relentless Bradley Barcola undermined their grip on the tie.

It turned one other in a sequence of European nightmares for the Catalans, who final received the trophy in 2015.

“In Europe playing with 10 you know you are going to suffer,” Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong informed Movistar.

“We tried and we fought to be in the semi-finals, it’s a tough blow because we were convinced we could get through.”

The guests began with dedication and penned Barcelona again in their very own territory, however it was the hosts who took the lead.

Explosive 16-year-old starlet Lamine Yamal ripped previous Nuno Mendes and crossed to the close to put up the place Raphinha turned house his third aim within the tie.

The different PSG forwards discovered the online however it was Barcola who tilted the match in PSG’s favour.

The winger teed up Mbappe however Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied him nicely, earlier than Araujo was despatched off for bringing him down.

The Uruguayan centre-back pulled Barcola again as he burst into the realm, leaving Barca with 10 males.

Dembele struck after 40 minutes from one other Barcola cross, which raked throughout the realm to the again put up the place he was arriving to fireside into the roof of the online.

Barcelona sacrificed Yamal for defender Inigo Martinez after Araujo’s purple card and it left them with few retailers in assault.

Don't escape

With PSG controlling the sport Barcelona quickly paid the value for his or her lack of ability to maintain possession.

Vitinha was given far an excessive amount of house on the sting of the field and he drilled into the underside nook to place PSG forward on the evening.

Ilkay Gundogan hit the put up on the different finish for Barcelona earlier than their coach Xavi was despatched off for a present of dissent on the touchline.

The Catalans had been dropping their heads and Joao Cancelo clumsily fouled Dembele handy PSG a penalty.

Mbappe, who had been saved quiet within the first leg, hammered it into the highest nook for his fortieth aim throughout all competitions.

The striker’s future might lie in Spain, with Real Madrid aiming to signal him in the summertime on the finish of his contract, and he made no mates in Barcelona by hopping the promoting hoardings and working in the direction of followers to rejoice.

Another member of Barcelona’s backroom employees was dismissed after Gundogan had a penalty attraction waved away and it turned clear the hosts had no response.

Mbappe wrapped up the win within the 89th minute after a high quality Ter Stegen double save, leaving Barcelona the victims of one other bitterly disappointing evening in Europe.

(AFP)