France’s Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) triumphed over Spain’s Barcelona with 1-4 victory as the two teams went head-to-head in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.
In a thrilling match between both teams, the early lead captured by Raphinha for Barcelona was remarkably countered by Ronald Araujo’s expulsion in the 29th minute, AFP reported.
Additionally, Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha levelled the tie, setting the stage for fellow Kylian Mbappe’s brace, propelling PSG into the coveted final four for the first time since 2021.
Despite substantial investment, PSG had yet to clinch the trophy, but their arsenal of attacking prowess showcased their potential to seize it.
Luis Enrique, the PSG coach and former Barcelona legend who steered Barca to Champions League glory in 2015, instilled confidence in his team’s ability to reverse the deficit.
“It looked bad but the team concentrated — whatever happened, we had to beat Barcelona,” said Dembele, whistled heavily by fans of his former club.
For five-time winners Barcelona, aspirations of a semi-final return for the first time since 2019 were dashed by Arujo’s dismissal, amplifying their European woes, with their last Champions League triumph dating back to 2015.
“In Europe playing with 10 you know you are going to suffer,” Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong told 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 match’s narrative unfolded with Barcelona momentarily seizing the lead through the dynamic Lamine Yamal, only to be countered by PSG’s relentless assault, particularly spearheaded by Bradley Barcola.
As the final whistle blew, PSG emerged victorious, leaving Barcelona to grapple with the harsh reality of another European setback.
