PSG outplays Barca to reach semifinals
Kylian Mbappe struck twice as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) battled back to beat 10-man Barcelona, 4-1, and book a place in the Champions League semifinals with a 6-4 aggregate triumph on Tuesday.
Raphinha fired Barcelona ahead early on but Ronald Araujo’s 29th-minute red card turned the tide in PSG’s favor despite the Spanish champions leading by two goals following a 3-2 quarterfinal first-leg win.
Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha leveled the tie for PSG, and Mbappe hit a brace to put them into the final four for the first time since 2021, setting up another meeting with Borussia Dortmund, who they played twice in the group stage.
“Hats off to Kylian, look at how he pressed, that’s how you lead a team,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique, noting the striker’s allround contribution.
“When Kylian can give that we are much, much better.”
The French champions have never won the trophy despite huge investment but demonstrated they have the attacking weapons in their squad to do so.
“I dream of winning the Champions League with Paris, it’s another step [to] overcome against a great team,” said Mbappe, who has his sights set on this year’s final.
“We’re going to try and go to Wembley.”
Luis Enrique, who led Barca to the 2015 Champions League, said he believed his PSG team would turn things around despite never having managed to after a first-leg home defeat, and so it proved.
“It looked bad, but the team concentrated — whatever happened, we had to beat Barcelona,” said Dembele, whistled heavily by fans of his former club.
Five-time winners Barcelona were dreaming of a first semifinal return since 2019 but Araujo’s red card for pulling down the relentless Bradley Barcola undermined their grip on the tie.
It became another in a series of European nightmares for the Catalans, who last won the trophy in 2015, with Xavi blaming the referee. “With 11 against 10, it’s practically impossible,” said the coach.
“I think the red card is not necessary, it’s unfair and needless.”