Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain fought back to defeat 10-man Barcelona 4-1 and secure a spot in the Champions League semi-finals with a 6-4 aggregate victory on Tuesday.
The turning point came with Ronald Araujo’s red card in the first half, but PSG started the match with incredible intensity.
Barcelona’s opening goal, however, from Raphinha, came against the run of play. From that moment, the Spanish team seemed to believe they would dominate the game.
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But Ousmane Dembele, Vitinho, and Kylian Mbappe, with a brace, had different plans. The trio, along with Bradley Barcola, posed a continuous threat all night.
Although other PSG forwards found the net, it was Barcola who really shifted the match in PSG’s favor.
Red Card Woes: Barcelona’s Nightmare Unfolds as Ronald Araujo Sees Red
Barcola set up Mbappe, but Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied him well, before Araujo was sent off for a foul in the area.
After Araujo’s red card, Barcelona substituted Yamal for defender Inigo Martinez, leaving them with fewer attacking options.
Former Barcelona forward Dembele scored just before halftime from another Barcola cross, firing into the roof of the net from the back post.
In the second half, Vitinha put PSG ahead with a strike from the edge of the box in the 54th minute.
Mbappe then converted a penalty in the 61st minute after Dembele was fouled by Joao Cancelo.
Xavi Hernandez was sent off for dissent just before the third goal, so his brother Oscar took charge and brought on Ferran Torres as Barcelona had half an hour to find at least one goal to get back in the tie.
As Barcelona tried to find a goal to force extra time, Mbappe capitalized on a counterattack to score from close range and secure a spot in the semi-finals against Borussia Dortmund.
Former Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele, was named the Player of the Match for Paris Saint-Germain.
He opened the scoring and was a constant threat to his former
Series of European nightmares for the Catalans
It was another European nightmare for Barcelona, who last won the trophy in 2015. Xavi, the coach, blamed the referee, saying, “With 11 against 10, it’s practically impossible. I think the red card was unnecessary, unfair, and needless.”
Former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique expressed pride in his Paris Saint-Germain side’s performance.
“I’m very proud, you have to hope for the day that changes everything and it was today,” Enrique told Sky Sports.
“We are very happy and excited. Only the supporters thought we had the opportunity to go through but we are there.
“We can feel in our stadium the feeling that we are the right character and we are going to fight for the final.
“It was very difficult for me, my feelings playing against Barca were very, very difficult.”
In the night’s other tie, Borussia Dortmund defeated Atletico Madrid. The match was full of drama as Dortmund secured a 5-4 aggregate win, having trailed 2-1 from the first leg.
PSG will now face Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals.
Wednesday will reveal whether Arsenal or Bayern Munich will face Real Madrid or Manchester City.
