Five-time victors Barcelona overcame a late deficit to secure a razor-thin lead over Paris St-Germain in their Champions League quarterfinal first leg in France.
A rowdy Parisian crowd threatened to overwhelm Xavi’s team, but the Barcelona manager masterfully used his bench to swing the match in their favour.
Their first goal in the Champions League came from Brazil’s Raphinha, a winger, who swept home a loose ball after Gianluigi Donnarumma could only parry a low cross.
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But PSG answered right away after the interval, with Vitinha finding the far corner after being sent in down the right, and Ousmane Dembele blasting into the roof of the net following a shoddy clearing.
Bradley Barcola, the substitute, then struck the bar for the hosts as they swept aside a Barcelona team participating in this stage of the competition for the first time since 2020.
When Spain’s Pedri was brought in, the PSG defence was caught off guard. Raphinha brilliantly volleyed the ball home with the outside of his right foot.
As both teams pressed, Dembele went close to scoring with a clip of the outside of the post, but it was Andreas Christensen, a substitute for Barcelona, who headed home a corner from four yards after going unmarked in the goal’s centre.
The game is far from done, and Barcelona—who have only made it this far once in their previous five attempts—will have to go forward without captain Sergi Roberto and Christensen after both received bookings in Paris.
Tuesday, April 16, is the second leg, which will take place in Spain.
