Paris Saint Germain 2-3 FC Barcelona: Oh là là!!!
Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona have served up some footballing feats over the years and Wednesday’s offering was no exception. On a dramatic evening at the Parc des Princes, the score swung back and forth before eventually settling for a 3-2 win that edges the Catalans one step closer to a place in the Champions League semi-finals against Atlético Madrid or Borussia Dortmund.
PSG are a very, very good side. That was very apparent today. But so are Barça, for whom an outstanding Raphinha scored twice tonight, first to open the scoring and a second time to make it 2-2 after the home side had just turned the game around with two goals in five minutes.
Things would eventually be settled by an Andreas Christensen header, meaning Barça now have a one goal head-start and home advantage in next Tuesday’s second leg.
Nothing is decided yet. Nothing can be taken for granted against a team like PSG. But Barça are in a very good place indeed right now, and will be departing the French capital with very big smiles on their faces. Smiles that are being shared right now by Culers all around the world!
Frenkie and Pedri back
One of the biggest stories of the day happened before the game even began. Not only was Frenkie de Jong fit and in the starting line-up, but Pedri was also ready and waiting on the bench.
Indeed, it was a masterful lob forward from the Canary Islander with practically his first intervention of the half that set up MVP Raphinha’s 62nd minute equaliser. What a way to mark your comeback!
Pre-game hug
Former team-mates but now rival coaches Luis Enrique and Xavi gave each other a hearty embrace when they crossed paths in the tunnel prior to the game. Despite the comments in the build-up to the game, the respect and friendship between these two remains very strong indeed.
Raphinha opener
PSG were clearly very fired up for this one and had dominated the early minutes, but were only able to rustle up a series of half-chances that did little to worry Ter Stegen.
Such all-out Parisian attack was leaving them exposed at the back. As a result, despite being the quieter of the sides, it was Barça who were getting the biggest chances, including one from Lewandowski that Nuno Mendes did extremely well to clear off the line.
Barça took a while to turn up the volume, but once they did, they made sure it counted.
Lamine Yamal was aiming for Lewandowski, and although Donnarumma got there first, he could only palm the ball into the path of the unmarked Raphinha… And that was the Brazilian’s first Champions League goal... and 1-0 to the Catalans!
So far so good, yet within five minutes of the restart Barça were playing catch-up.
PSG turnaround
After celebrating so many Ousmane Dembelé goals over the years, now it was time to lament one. A Ronald Araujo block headed straight into the former blaugrana’s path and a brilliant finish was too good for Ter Stegen.
There was no time to digest the setback before Vitinha was on the end of a through ball and that was 2-1.
Back in charge
It could have been worse had Ter Stegen not nudged Bradley Barcola’s effort onto the crossbar, but a fairly comfortable situation had quickly become a very worrying one.
That was promptly resolved by substitute Pedri’s lovely lob and the equally majestic way in which Raphinha met it with a first-time volley to get this extraordinary match back level again.
PSG had two fine chances to re-establish their lead, Barcola denied by some fabulous defending by Araujo and Kylian Mbappé by the post before Barça were back in the lead.
Birthday-boy Christensen rose to meet a corner to head home his first ever Champions League goal and Barça were back ahead, and this time it was for keeps!
The Dane is such an important player, but sadly he’ll be missing for the return leg, as will be captain Sergi Roberto, after both picked up yellow card suspensions tonight.
3-2 it ended tonight, but there are still 90 more minutes of this to come. Act II at the Estadi Olimpic is a 9pm CEST kick-off on Tuesday night. And we can’t wait!