Champions League: sluggish, PSG still passes against Barça
Barcelona's Oscar Mingueza and Parisian Kylian Mbappé, March 10, 2021. AP - Christophe Ena
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
5 mins
Caught by the throat in the first period, PSG suffered against Barça on Wednesday March 10 in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
The Parisians have been roughed up, but they have not been swallowed up by their old demons.
Thanks to a goal from Kylian Mbappé and a great performance from Keylor Navas, the French champion finally conceded a draw (1-1).
Not famous, but enough to reach the quarter-finals.
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After the
comeback against FC Barcelona
in 2017, then the
nightmare against Manchester United
in 2019, could Paris tremble against Barça again this year?
The festival at Camp Nou on the first leg (4-1, treble from Kylian Mbappé) had given the Parisians a huge advantage.
However, the latter have found a way to scare themselves, this Wednesday, during their second leg of the knockout stages of the Champions League ...
Still deprived of Neymar, convalescent, the capital club folded, folded, folded and almost broke in the first period.
After 45 minutes of play, the scoreboard indicated 1-1, and it was a miracle for the Parisians, so much the Barcelona attacked their cage.
Mbappé relieves Paris, Messi triggers lightning
The trident Ousmane Dembélé-Lionel Messi-Antoine Griezmann got into action from the start, and the former Borussia Dortmund player had several chances.
Faced with a PSG a thousand leagues from his insurance of the first leg, Barça settled at ease on the lawn of the Parc des Princes and made his opponent suffer, like this shot by Sergino Dest on the bar transverse (23rd).
But in the middle of this slump, Mauricio Pochettino's men saw the light: Clément Lenglet involuntarily stepped on Mauro Icardi's heel, and referee Anthony Taylor, after reviewing the action, awarded a penalty that Kylian Mbappé transformed (31st).
What finally reassure Paris?
Nay!
Because on the Catalan side, there is a genius named Lionel Messi.
The six-fold Ballon d'Or, found 30 meters from the Parisian cage, did not hesitate and fired a missile right into the skylight of Keylor Navas (37th).
A fabulous 120th goal to reward Barcelona's domination and restart this match.
Lionel Messi after scoring with Barcelona against PSG on March 10, 2021. REUTERS - GONZALO FUENTES
Navas the savior
As a bad memory of 2017, Layvin Kurzawa, one of the Parisians who experienced the comeback, made a mistake just before the break by missing his intervention in the box in front of Antoine Griezmann.
The defender touched the attacker and conceded a penalty.
Scorer in this first leg, Leo Messi presented himself again against Navas.
But this time, the Costa Rican started on the right side and repelled the Argentinian's shot (45 + 3rd).
A big performance which allowed Paris to return to the locker room without being led to the score.
In the second half, Mauricio Pochettino was quick to change his plans.
Barcelona remained domineering against a harmless and uninspired PSG, but with less consistency.
Lionel Messi found himself in a good position to give the advantage to his people, but in the six meters, the one nicknamed "La Pulga" came up against the saving tackle of the Parisian captain Marquinhos, then supported by Abdou Diallo and Presnel Kimpembe (61st).
And when the defenders weren't enough, Keylor Navas was on top of things.
The goalkeeper will also receive, unsurprisingly, the man of the match trophy.
Elusive PSG
On arrival, the contract is fulfilled for Paris: Barça is eliminated, and if the specter of the comeback has lurked, it has not materialized.
After having stumbled in 2013 (round of 16), 2015 (quarter-finals) and 2017 (round of 16), PSG finally emerged victorious from a double confrontation against the Catalan giant.
The impression remains mixed, however.
The masterpiece of the first leg is well balanced by this indigestible performance on the return.
It's hard to know exactly where this team is.
At least she's in the quarterfinals.
Maybe Neymar's return will give him some color again.
In the other round of 16 second leg played on Wednesday, Liverpool did not tremble against Leipzig.
As in the first leg in Germany, the Reds won 2-0.
And like on February 16, the two scorers of the English champions are the Egyptian Mohamed Salah (71st) and the Senegalese Sadio Mané (74th).
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