PSG overturn deficit against Barcelona to reach UCL semis

Paris Saint-Germain turned the tables on Barcelona, overcoming a first-leg deficit to win 6-4 on aggregate in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. The thrilling encounter at Camp Nou ended in a 4-1 victory for the visitors, continuing the trend of away teams dominating recent meetings between these two clubs.

Early in the match, Barcelona extended their lead from the first leg with a goal by Raphinha, only for PSG to make a strong comeback. The game intensified when Ronald Araujo was shown a red card for a foul on PSG’s Bradley Barcola, leaving the home team with 10 men. This incident significantly shifted the momentum in PSG’s favour. Ousmane Dembele, amidst boos from the crowd, managed to equalise for PSG, setting the stage for a second-half resurgence.

PSG’s persistence paid off in the 54th minute when Vitinha scored from a corner, bringing the aggregate score level. The situation worsened for Barcelona as coach Xavi Hernandez was sent off, further destabilising the team. Kylian Mbappe then converted a penalty to give PSG the lead, his 40th goal of the season proving pivotal.

Despite efforts from Barcelona to salvage the game, PSG’s defence, led by Gianluigi Donnarumma’s key saves, held firm. Mbappe sealed the victory with another goal, marking PSG’s first successful comeback in the competition after losing the first leg at home in eight attempts.

The defeat denied Barcelona a chance at their first semi-final since 2019, while PSG kept alive their hopes for their first UCL title, demonstrating a notable shift in dynamics in European football.