Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 (5-2 on agg.) Barcelona
Barcelona are out of the 2021 Champions League after being held to a 1-1 draw by Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes.
Barca always had a mountain to climb to haul themselves back from a three-goal deficit, but they gave it a real go as Lionel Messi scored a screamer after Kylian Mbappe had given PSG a surprise lead. But while the Catalans dominated throughout, once Messi had missed a penalty the French champions found the strength to repel their visitors and take their place in the quarter-finals.
Highlights of the game
After PSG tested them with a couple of set pieces, the Blaugrana set about the hosts in an attempt to grab an early goal. The PSG defence stood off Messi, which is never a great idea, and he tried a shot through a crowded area but Marquinhos made the block.
Then, Ousmane Dembele was upended by Layvin Kurzawa and the French defender picked up a yellow card for his trouble, but Messi hoofed the free-kick over.
Keylor Navas made a brilliant save to deny Dembele as the Barca striker continued to threaten. Messi looked in the mood as he threaded a ball through to Jordi Alba which the busy Marquinhos cleared.
The pre-match Champions League 2021 betting odds marginally backed the Parisians but they were hanging on, and were saved by the woodwork when Sergino Dest fired a cross shot which Navas just managed to palm onto the crossbar to keep the scores level.
Ousmane fired a low ball across the six-yard box and Messi’s slide was inches away from connecting as Barca continued to swamp the PSG defence.
But then came the sucker punch. In a rare foray into the Barca half, Julian Draxler crossed and Ter Stegen collected, but Mauro Icardi went down and rolled around on the floor screaming after Clement Lenglet had caught the striker. It looked accidental but the referee pointed to the spot.
Mbappe scored three in the first leg and he made it four in the tie, smashing the spot-kick into the top right corner to make Barca’s huge task that bit harder.
Dembele continued to plug away at the other end and was clean through, but he hit a weak shot which Navas gratefully collected.
Then we saw one of the best of the Champions League 2021 highlights in one brilliant moment from Messi. The Argentine genius picked up the ball some thirty yards out and sent a swerving thunderbolt past Navas and into the top corner.
And minutes before the break Barca had a great chance to blow the tie wide open when they were awarded a penalty after Kurwaza fouled Antoine Griezmann. But Messi’s driven kick hit Navas on his trailing leg and crashed against the crossbar and away to safety.
Mauricio Pochettino hooked Kurwaza at half-time and brought on Abdou Diallo; the switch seemed to settle the PSG defence. Marquinhos was alert again on the hour to deny Messi with a sliding tackle as he prepared to shoot, just six yards out. Sergio Busquets came close with a flicked header which Navas did well to palm away and Trincao watched a well-struck volley deflected to safety.
Barca stuck to their task trying to find spaces behind the PSG defence but, in the end it, was a mountain too high to climb.
Key statistics
The Blaugrana completely battered their hosts in a first half in which they had 74 per cent possession and nine shots on target, but they went in at the break still three goals down.
After the break the home defence was much tighter, and while Barca maintained over 70 per cent possession they only added one more shot on target, ten in total to PSG’s three.
What’s next?
With Serie A giants Juventus already out following a surprise defeat to Porto and now Barcelona gone, the SBOTOP Champions League team is resetting the odds, but PSG at 5.50 to win the trophy are very likely to be there at the business end of the competition.
Back to domestic action on Monday the 15th, Barcelona have a home game against SD Huesca, and then they have an away game to Real Sociedad the following week. After Atletico Madrid went six points clear with a midweek victory over Athletic Club, Barca needs to keep winning to keep the pressure up.
Meanwhile, PSG have a home match to Nantes and then an away meeting with fellow title chasers Lyon, who are currently third in the Ligue 1 table and a single point behind the Parisians.
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