FOOTBALL
Kylian Mbappe bags brace as PSG stun Barcelona to reach Champions League semis
Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Paris St Germain came from two goals down on aggregate to stun Barcelona and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Trailing 3-2 from the first leg, the visitors faced an uphill struggle when Raphinha scored the opener for Barca.
But the match turned when Ronald Araujo was sent off for a professional foul and goals from Ousmane Dembele, Vitinha and Mbappe’s double gave PSG a 4-1 win on the night and a 6-4 aggregate victory.
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Barca took the lead, and gave themselves a two-goal cushion in the tie, in the 12th minute after superb work from Lamine Yamal.
90+6' – C'est terminé à Barcelone !— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) April 16, 2024
The 16-year-old collected a pass on the right and ran at Nuno Mendes before a nifty piece of skill took him past the Portugal full-back.
Raphinha, who scored twice in the first leg, did not know much about his third of the tie as it ricocheted in off his shin four yards out.
The hosts almost had a second when Raphinha’s cross was only cleared to Robert Lewandowski, whose shot just went over the crossbar.
PSG remained a threat, though, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to make a smart save low to his left to keep out Mbappe’s close-range effort.
The drama came in the 29th minute when Araujo was shown a straight red card after he barged Bradley Barcola over on the edge of the area.
The Spaniards protested furiously that Pau Cubarsi was a covering defender, but after a VAR review, the decision stood.
Ten minutes later PSG were level on the night when Barcola whipped in a low cross which eluded Mbappe but was emphatically finished by Dembele at the far post.
After the break Vitinha collected the ball 25 yards out and, with no defenders closing him down, rifled into the net.
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 16, 2024
Ilkay Gundogan shaved a post for Barca but their night was about to take another turn for the worst when, first, boss Xavi was shown a red card for his angry reaction on the touchline.
Moments later PSG had a penalty when Joao Cancelo slid in and brought down Dembele, and Mbappe duly dispatched the spot-kick as the Ligue 1 side went ahead in the tie.
Barcelona staged a late rally but Gianluigi Donnarumma saved brilliantly from Lewandowski and Raphinha fired wide.
And in the last minute PSG broke forward and Mbappe lashed in the fourth to seal a stunning win.
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