It was another nightmare night for Barcelona in Champions League as the Blaugrana were outclassed by Mauricio Pochettino’s Paris Saint Germain in the first leg of the Round of 16.
The ghost of the Lisbonazo keeps haunting Barcelona, who took an early lead via a Leo Messi penalty but found themselves on the receiving end as the French side stormed back and found the back of the net four times – three with their star Kylian Mbappé and once with former Juventus man Moise Kean.
Four years ago, Barcelona were able to cancel a four-goal deficit and come up with an epic second-leg remuntada against PSG. So nothing is lost, one would say. Too bad that today’s Barcelona side is nowhere close to their version from 2017, when it comes to class, motivation, and mental fortitude.
Their Ronald Koeman still has a long way to go, though the absences of Philippe Coutinho and Ansu Fati didn’t help him today. But Pochettino also had his share of notable absentee as neither Neymar nor Angel Di Maria could be of the game. Paris SG lined up three Italians, with Alessandro Florenzi acting as right back while Marco Verratti and Moise Kean supported another old Serie A acquaintance – lone striker and former Inter captain Mauro Icardi.
Barça XI#BarçaPSG
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 16, 2021
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After 20 minutes that only recorded an Antoine Griezmann raid into the French area – which was defused by Keylor Navas – PSG had their first real chance as Kylian Mbappé served Icardi on the left flank, but Pedri managed to clear the Argentine’s shot that seemed destined to hit the back of the net.
The match caught fire on 26 minutes as Barcelona were awarded a pretty generous penalty. Frenkie De Jong sneaked between Layvin Kurzawa and Presnel Kimpembe to catch a cross in the box and fell down from a slight touch from the former. That was enough for referee Bjorn Kuipers to point to the penalty spot.
From the spot, Leo Messi renewed his duel with former Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas and won it with a perfect conversion, putting the home side ahead.
Barca’s lead lasted only five minutes, however, as Mbappé drew level for Les Parisiens finalizing a beautiful one-touch combination by darting past Clement Lenglet in the middle of the box and piercing Marc Andre Ter Stegen on the near post.
PSG took courage and went close to make it two, with Kurzawa forcing Ter Stegen to stretch his left arm to finger away a vicious challenge form the left side. Barcelona’s answer to that was immediate as Antoine Griezmann galloped all along the left flank and exploded a diagonal shot that swished past Navas but ended a few inches too wide. Yes, the game was now on fire.
The starting 1⃣1⃣ for tonight! ??⚡️#UCL | #FCBPSGpic.twitter.com/YEu3veyhyQ
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) February 16, 2021
Paris SG took control of it early in the second half. Moise Kean tested Marc André Ter Stegen but the German goalkeeper was up to the task. Still, he could only keep his float aside until 65 minutes, when Alessandro Florenzi crossed the ball from a tight angle and found Gerard Piqué’s deflection, but moreover Mbappé’s winning conversion to bring the score at 1-2.
Pochettino’s side smelled blood and had their third five minutes later. It was Kean to finally make it to the scoresheet as he headed the ball home from a Leandro Paredes cross, taking advantage of Frenkie De Jong’s poor marking.
There was no reaction on the Blaugrana part, and the only troubles for Keylor Navas wer self-induced, as the keeper risked a lot with a reckless clearance that almost resulted in Griezmann stealing him the ball.
Coach Ronald Koeman came up with a desperate move as he sent in Riqui Puig, Miralem Phanic, and Francisco Trincao all together – eventually adding Martin Braithwaite a few minutes later. Mauricio Pochettino’s changes were more calibrated, with Ander Herrera replacing Idrissa Gueye at half time, and Julian Draxler substituting Marco Verratti – who didn’t shine in a trequartista role despite serving an assist for Mbappé’s first goal in PSG’s triumphal night.
Kylian Mbappé showed no mercy and, with five minutes to go, sealed his hat trick with a clinical curling effort that ended in the top right corner of poor Ter Stegen’s goal. Paris St. Germain’s fourth came at the end of a brutal counterattack that exploited Barcelona’s confused state, with Draxler free to advance undisturbed before serving the World Champions an easy chance to find the back of the net again.
Paris St. Germain put one foot and a half into the Quarter Finals, while Barcelona’s soul searching will need to continue as the Blaugrana once again prepare to bow out of the Champions League in a sounding way. Long gone are the days of the tiki taka.
??#UCL | #FCBPSG pic.twitter.com/Nk4InPjDqO
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) February 16, 2021
MATCH REPORT
February 16, 2021 – Champions League 2020-21 Round of 16
BARCELONA-PARIS ST. GERMAIN 1-4
SCORERS: 27′ Messi (B, pen.), 32′ Mbappé (P), 65′ Mbappé (P), 70′ Kean (P), 85′ Mbappé (P)
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BARCELONA (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Dest (71′ Mingueza), Piqué (78′ Riqui Puig), Lenglet, Jordi Alba; De Jong, Busquets (78′ Pjanic), Pedri (78′ Trincao); Griezmann (84′ Braithwaite), Messi, Dembélé (Neto, Matheus Fernandes, Umtiti, Junior Firpo, Inaki Pena) Coach: Koeman |
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PARIS ST. GERMAIN (4-2-3-1): Navas; Florenzi (88′ Keher), Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Kurzawa; Paredes, Gueye (46′ Herrera); Kean (83′ Danilo), Verratti (73′ Draxler), Mbappé; Icardi (Rico, Letellier, Rafinha, Sarabia, Diallo, Bakker, Michut) Coach: Pochettino |
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Gueye (P); Extra Time: First Half 1′, Second Half 5′