Total desolation in Montjuïc. What had to be a great night ended in a sporting tragedy for Barça. When they had everything in sight to be in the semi-finals, Xavi Hernández’s team collapsed. Raphinha opened the scoring but Araújo’s expulsion with more than an hour left was too heavy a burden for Barcelona, ??which took a long time to reactivate when it found itself at a disadvantage. Dembélé, as in Paris, Vitinha and a double from Mbappé boosted PSG, which staged the first comeback in its history in the Champions League. Barça only has one almost impossible League left to avoid finishing the year blank.
The disappointment is now tremendous for a team that fought but lacked composure on the field and on the bench, with Xavi once again sent off, to survive in the tournament.
The match turned out to be a thriller from the second one. An action film, intense, fast-paced and without a moment’s pause. Just as Luis Enrique had promised, PSG came out ready to go after Barça’s jugular. With the tie against them, the French team had no time to lose and pitched their tent in the Barcelona field. The Asturian coach had determined three variants with respect to the first leg, in search of greater offensive bite. With Hakimi as a deep winger, Barcola de diablo on the left and Zaïre-Emery in the midfield, PSG entrenched Barcelona. Meanwhile, the Blaugrana team, with Pedri as the only novelty in relation to the first leg, prepared to release the resistance manual.
Koundé, Araújo and Cubarsí defended like animals, the midfielders were fed up with running, Cancelo stayed focused and Lamine Yamal and Raphinha looked for some counterattack while Lewandowski dedicated himself to taking down long balls.
Despite the passion of the public, with Montjuïc packed, and the effort of the Blaugrana, it seemed difficult for Barcelona to last the entire match like this. But it is already known that the Champions League is a competition of flashes that cause enormous twists in the script. The first of the game came when Lamine Yamal broke Mendes and crossed into the six-yard box for Raphinha to score his third goal of the tie. He did it with his left knee and was celebrated in style.
The outlook looked amazing for Barça, while their fans shouted with happiness. If PSG wanted to force extra time they had to score two goals. The French accused the blow and Barcelona moved up the ranks, now taking advantage of the touch of Pedri, Gündogan and De Jong. The Dutchman activated Raphinha and there was a rebound that Lewandowski almost converted into the second. The Pole’s shot went high. A shame for his team that would later pass Cain’s.
The technical areas were a sea of ??nerves and Luis Enrique asked his team for calm and play. They were looking for Mbappé, who ran into the success of Ter Stegen, and Dembélé, whose first erratic attempts provoked ridicule from the stands. The former Barcelona player, booed, would later make amends. He previously tried unsuccessfully for an Olympic goal.
The match would turn again, and in a sidereal way, at the edge of the half hour when an overexcited Araújo charged a Barcola who was escaping. The referee was right to call a foul outside the area but he also interpreted that he should send off the Uruguayan. Between protests and calls for VAR reviews there was no turning back and Barça was left with ten with at least one hour left to play. The truth is that Araújo had plenty of impetus and lacked composure. A hypothetical goal from PSG was better than being outmatched so soon.
A tremendous blow. Xavi reacted by sacrificing Lamine Yamal and bringing Iñigo Martínez into the fray to shore up his defense. Barcelona was left without the talent of its pearl, completely lost the ball and began to shiver. He would do it even more when Dembélé, again like in Paris, tied after a center from the poisonous Barcola that neither Cubarsi nor a Cancelo who arrived a little late could cut off.
Barça asked for a break with an ambulance and Dembélé bordered on the second. Miraculously, his cross shot didn’t go in.
Although the situation had become more complicated, Barcelona still had the tie in its favour. You had to see how Xavi tried to rearrange his pieces.
Upon returning from the locker room, Barça continued to be groggy and Hakimi and Fabián had consecutive opportunities. The Blaugrana’s suffering, with very little possession, was total. What was seen coming arrived immediately. PSG’s second fell on a short corner in which Vitinha, totally alone due to De Jong’s inattention, finished off from outside the area into the net.
Leveled tie and now Parisian euphoria. It could not have lasted very long since Gündogan was inches away from tying the next play.
But it didn’t happen and everything would go to waste. Xavi was sent off for losing his temper and protesting, once again, and Cancelo committed a clear penalty on Dembélé. Mbappé transformed it with determination and PSG was in charge for the first time overall.
Barça, who claimed a possible penalty on Gündogan, were on the canvas but a goal allowed them to force extra time. Lewandowski had a chance but Donnarumma aborted his shot, and Raphinha, who crossed his shot excessively. PSG wanted to cool down the game but that gave life to the Blaugrana. Ferran Torres had appeared and so did Fermín and João Félix. Fresh legs and talent to try to avoid elimination. There was no way and Mbappé, after a double save by Ter Stegen, sentenced in a lethal counterattack. Barça’s adventure ended here.
