FC Barcelona had the last word against Paris SG on Wednesday evening in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League (3-2), after a match with twists and turns where Ousmane Dembélé scored and where Kylian Mbappé had a lot missed. Paris is on unfavorable waivers before the return match next Tuesday in Barcelona. Especially since the team is not very comfortable away this season and has sometimes paid a heavy price for its wanderings in the return matches of this competition.
To electrify the debates against its great rival, who inflicted the famous “comeback” on March 8, 2017, the club and the ultras had before the match broadcast music and deployed tifos on the theme of Star Wars. Darth Vader wore the Barça jersey, Yoda that of PSG. The Parisians seemed possessed by force at the start by confiscating the ball and cornering the Barcelonans near their area. But they were not very dangerous, whether through half-hearted shots from Ousmane Dembélé and Asensio or through the counter special from Kylian Mbappé (12th).
After a first alert on a clumsy exit from Gianluigi Donnarumma (6th), and a great thrill when Nuno Mendes had to push back on his line a failed exit from the same goalkeeper from a corner (20th), the Barcelonans finally made it happen. Donnarumma had to repel a diabolical outside cross from the 16-year-old nugget Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha adjusted the sights to open the scoring (37th). Marquinhos and Vitinha took on each other for a good two minutes to vent their frustration.
False comeback
The Parisians played the role of rebels after returning from the locker room, reversing the scenario in three minutes. First with a goal from Ousmane Dembélé, only his second of the season: after a supersonic hook on the left side of the area, he sent a missile with his left foot without thinking (48th). Then Vitinha once again proved that he was a decisive midfielder by closely adjusting Ter Stegen (51st). Celebrating this second goal at length beyond the advertising boards, the Parisians then gave the impression of having inflicted a mini-remontada on the stunned Barcelonans.
But Xavi’s men showed resourcefulness despite the low average age (around 25). Raphinha scored a double by punishing the feverishness of the Parisian defense, taking a bell pass inspired by the incoming Pedri, uncertain before the match (62nd). Destiny seemed to hesitate midway through the second half. Ousmane Dembélé almost scored a double but the post blocked it (75th).
Two minutes later, it was Paris who cracked, this time from a corner: Donnarumma did not come out of his cage and Andreas Christensen, another entrant, pushed the ball into the net under the eyes of the 11 players Parisians. It was their turn to falter.
PSG sought to recover and carried out several offensives but none were successful. Like his approximate performance, Kylian Mbappé threw himself with all his strength at the far post to catch a missed shot from Dembélé, in vain. And in stoppage time, he saw his shot at the edge of the area deflected for a corner. The superstar, who will leave PSG this summer, will have to do much better next Tuesday if he wants to leave on a good note. Otherwise, his average match on Wednesday will have been his last at the Parc des Princes under the Parisian colors.