Barcelona 1 PSG 4 (4-6 agg): French giants take huge step to ending Champions League drought with controversial comeback
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KYLIAN MBAPPE’S brace fired PSG into the semis as Barcelona imploded.
The French superstar is off this summer but Mbappe could yet land them a first Champions League after his penalty and late strike completed the turnaround against the 10-man Catalans.
Barca held a 3-2 advantage and took the lead but defender Ronald Araujo and boss Xavi were sent off before Joao Cancelo’s reckless tackle for the decisive spot kick.
The hosts had one foot in the semis 12 minutes in when ex-Leeds favourite Raphinha bundled home 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal’s brilliant assist early on.
But disaster struck when Araujo was shown a straight red for hauling Bradley Barcola down when the speedster was in on goal.
The electric Yamal was sacrificed for an extra defender but the hosts could only hold on for 10 minutes.
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Barcola did the damage again down the left with a brilliant low cross, with ex-Barca man Ousmane Dembele burying a brilliant first-time finish after Kylian Mbappe missed it.
With the Camp Nou still getting a refurb, the locals packed in the Olympic Stadium grew nervier by the second as their side clung on for dear life after half time.
Fabian Ruiz should have scored for the Parisians. But 54 minutes in and Vitinha’s low rocket from the edge of the box after a short corner made it 4-4 on aggregate.
All hope evaporated from the ground but Ilkay Gundogan had a great chance just seconds following the restart, only for the former Manchester City man to fire off the post.
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Yet in the next three minutes Barca, led by boss Xavi, lost the plot – and the tie.
Xavi was sent off for protesting, before fellow ex-Man City star Cancelo conceded a penalty for a reckless challenge on Dembele at the edge of the box.
And nerveless Mbappe, 25, did the rest, bulleting the winner and his seventh this Champions League campaign past Marc-Andre ter Stegen into the corner.
In chaotic scenes, Barcelona’s goalkeeping coach was then shown his marching orders, yet they rallied for a late charge with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha going close.
But PSG, so desperate for so long to finally land the Champions League, held on before Mbappe bagged his second from six yards to set up a meeting with Borussia Dortmund in the last four.
