PSG reaches semifinals with Barcelona rout
Playing with an extra man for more than an hour, Paris Saint-Germain rallied against Barcelona to reach the Champions League semifinals.
Kylian Mbappé scored twice as PSG reversed its first-leg loss at home with a 4-1 win at Barcelona on Tuesday to advance 6-4 on aggregate and keep alive its hopes of a first European title in what is the France star’s final season with the club.
Former Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha also scored for PSG, which took advantage of a 29th-minute red card to Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo after he fouled Bradley Barcola while trying to stop a breakaway.
“When it was 11 against 11 we were well organized. The sending off changes everything. The match changed completely,” said Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández, who was later sent off himself for complaining.
“We would have liked to play PSG 11 against 11. That should not have been a red card.”
Barcelona opened the scoring with a goal by Raphinha in the 12th, but the visitors took control with the man advantage and didn’t let Barcelona get back into the game. Xavi had to replace young forward Lamine Yamal with defender Iñigo Martínez after the red card to Araujo, who was deemed by the referee to be the last defender when he fouled Barcola.
PSG is back in the semifinals after two consecutive eliminations in the round of 16.
The Catalan side, which won the first leg 3-2 in Paris last week, made it to the knockout stage of Europe’s top club competition after back-toback eliminations in the group stage.
Mbappé scored his goals in the 61st and 89th minutes.
Borussia Dortmund 4, Atlético Madrid 2
Marcel Sabitzer scored late and set up two goals to send Borussia Dortmund into the semifinals with a helter-skelter win over Atlético Madrid.
After losing the first leg of their quarterfinal 2-1 in Madrid, Dortmund had to come from behind twice over two legs to advance 5-4 on aggregate.
Julian Brandt opened the scoring to level the tie before Sabitzer set up Ian Maatsen to give Dortmund a 2-0 lead on the night.
Atlético coach Diego Simeone responded with three changes at the break and they all paid off. A Mats Hummels own goal and a goal from substitute Joaquín Correa put the Spanish side back in front on aggregate.
Then Sabitzer set up Niclas Füllkrug in the 71st minute for the Germany forward’s first goal after nine scoreless games, and Sabitzer scored himself three minutes later to send Dortmund into the last four.
Tuesday’s win stretched Dortmund’s unbeaten run at home in the Champions League to 10 games.