Mbappé scores twice as PSG beats Barcelona to reach Champions League semis

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Taking part in with an additional man for greater than an hour, Paris Saint-Germain rallied in opposition to Barcelona to succeed in the Champions League semifinals.

Kylian Mbappé scored twice as PSG reversed its first-leg loss at dwelling with a 4-1 win at Barcelona on Tuesday to advance 6-4 on combination and maintain alive its hopes of a primary European title in what’s the France star’s last season with the membership.

Former Barcelona ahead Ousmane Dembélé and Vitinha additionally scored for PSG, which took benefit of a Twenty ninth-minute crimson card to Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo after he fouled Bradley Barcola whereas making an attempt to cease a breakaway.

“When it was 11 in opposition to 11 we had been nicely organized. The sending off modifications every little thing. The match modified utterly,” mentioned Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández, who was later despatched off himself for complaining. “We’d have preferred to play PSG 11 in opposition to 11. That ought to not have been a crimson card.”

Barcelona had gotten off to a very good begin and opened the scoring with a aim by Raphinha within the twelfth, however the guests took management with the person benefit and didn’t let Barcelona get again into the sport. Xavi needed to exchange younger ahead Lamine Yamal with defender Iñigo Martínez after the crimson card to Araujo, who was deemed by the referee to be the final defender when he fouled Barcola.

PSG is again within the semifinals after two consecutive eliminations within the spherical of 16.

“I really feel very proud,” mentioned PSG coach Luis Enrique, a former Barcelona participant and coach. “We confirmed what we needed to do right here at present. We conceded a aim, however we stayed intact mentally. We continued to play, to assault. We did every little thing we may to be higher than Barcelona. My gamers confirmed lots of character, lots of enthusiasm, lots of want.”

The Catalan facet, which gained the primary leg 3-2 in Paris final week, made it to the knockout stage of Europe’s high membership competitors after back-to-back eliminations within the group stage.

Within the different quarterfinal on Tuesday, Borussia Dortmund defeated Atletico Madrid 4-2 at dwelling to advance 5-4 on combination. PSG and Dortmund will meet in one of many semifinals.

Mbappé scored his objectives within the 61st and 89th minutes. The France star is hoping to win what could be a primary Champions League title for himself and for PSG earlier than he leaves the membership.

Barcelona opened the scoring in its first assault with a fortuitous aim by Raphinha after Lamine Yamal’s low cross from the proper facet bounced off the shin of the Brazil ahead and went into the web.

PSG equalized about 10 minutes after Araujo was despatched off, with Dembélé discovering the web by the far submit after a cross by Barcola. Dembélé, named the person of the match, was loudly jeered by the Barcelona crowd when he was substituted within the last minutes. He had additionally scored within the first leg in Paris.

“We didn’t surrender, we knew we had been going to attain objectives right here,” Dembélé mentioned. “An enormous shift from the entire group. We labored all the week, tactically, with the coach. His techniques had been excellent. Despite the fact that we conceded the primary aim, we didn’t let our heads drop. We continued to consider.”

PSG took the lead when Vitinha fired a low shot from exterior the realm within the 54th. The guests elevated their lead when Mbappé transformed a penalty kick after Dembélé was introduced down by João Cancelo inside the realm.

Barcelona had probabilities to get again into the sport, with Ilkay Gündogan hitting the submit within the 56th and each Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha squandering probabilities towards the top of the match.

Mbappé’s second aim got here from shut vary in a breakaway within the last minutes. He has now scored no less than 40 membership objectives in all competitions for the third time in 4 seasons with PSG. He has scored 13 objectives in his final 13 Champions League matches.

Xavi was despatched off after kicking a cushion defending a sideline digital camera within the 56th.

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