Paris St-Germain staged a remarkable comeback to thrash Barcelona and secure a spot in the Champions League semi-finals, with Kylian Mbappe leading the charge with two goals.
Trailing 3-2 after the first leg, PSG turned the tide in Spain, securing their place in the last four for the first time since 2021 in a chaotic encounter.
Facing Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals, PSG’s victory was underscored by Barcelona’s resilience, as they initially took the lead through Raphinha after Lamine Yamal’s drive down the right-wing.
However, Barcelona’s fortunes turned sour when Ronald Araujo received a red card, reducing them to 10 men for the remainder of the match. Ousmane Dembele, facing his former team, capitalized on the advantage to extend PSG’s lead.
Vitinha’s precise strike and Mbappe’s penalty further solidified PSG’s dominance, sealing a 2-1 victory on the night and a 4-4 aggregate draw. Mbappe’s second goal in the 89th minute marked the end of a thrilling quarter-final clash.
The semi-final first legs are scheduled for April 30 and May 1, with the return legs on May 7 and 8.
Under the ownership of Qatar Sports Investments since 2011, PSG’s quest for Champions League glory has remained elusive. Despite their dominance in Ligue 1, reaching the final in 2020 and the semi-finals once, PSG have fallen short of clinching the coveted trophy.
However, their emphatic victory over Barcelona signals a resurgence in their Champions League campaign, with Mbappe’s stellar performance serving as a beacon of hope for PSG fans.