Mbappe scores twice as PSG beats Barcelona 4-1
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Playing with an extra man for more than an hour, Paris Saint-Germain rallied against Barcelona to reach the Champions League semifinals.
Kylian Mbappe 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 Dembele 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 Hernandez, 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 had gotten off to a good start and 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 Inigo Martinez after the red card to Araujo, who was deemed by the referee to be the last defender when he fouled Barcola.
Mbappe scored his goals in the 61st and 89th minutes. The France star is hoping to win what would be a first Champions League title for himself and for PSG before he leaves the club.
PSG is back in the semifinals after two consecutive eliminations in the round of 16.
“I feel very proud,” said PSG coach Luis Enrique, a former Barcelona player and coach. “We showed what we wanted to do here today. We conceded a goal, but we stayed intact mentally. We continued to play, to attack. We did everything we could to be better than Barcelona. My players showed a lot of character, a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of desire.”
Lee plays late
Lee was subbed in for Bradley Barcola in the 77th minute with visiting PSG leading 3-1 and holding a 5-4 advantage on aggregate.
Lee, who had started the opening leg last week, will make his first trip to the Champions League semifinals.
In the two-legged semifinals beginning in two weeks, PSG will face German side Borussia Dortmund, who beat Atletico Madrid 5-4 on aggregate in their quarterfinals. (Yonhap)