Barcelona 6 Paris 1
This dramatic game ticked all the boxes.
Atmosphere? Yes
Visually striking? White shirts of PSG against normal Barca kit.
Early goal? Yes.
Desire? Ferocious ball-hunting by Suarez, Neymar, whole team.
Psychology? PSG are 4-0 up and nervous.
First blood? : Right wingback, Rafinha came inside and hit a left-footed cross into the box and when PSG failed to clear Luis Suarez was first to a 50-50 ball with keeper Trapp and headed in from one yard.
1-0 in three minutes.
Such a reliable gladiator! Using his body as well as his brain, Suarez is a reflex player and a natural competitor.
What he has, no coach can give you.
Brian Clough would have loved his finishing skills and relentless physicality. And would have stopped him diving
The second goal came when Neymar was deep on the left side and sprinted forward to join the move he started. Suarez didn’t need him. Instead, he lifted the bouncing ball into the run of Iniesta who had spurted into the six-yard box, beyond the far post, and backheeled the ball hard across the goalmouth. Defender Kurzawa panicked himself into scoring an own-goal.
HT 2-4 on aggregate.
Second half coming up: If PSG improve, they could squeeze through.
Enjoying it hugely.
On Tuesday night I refused to watch Arsenal v Bayern because I loathe Kroenke and I’m sickened by Wenger’s gutless team and his shabby excuses.
First time I’ve ever missed an Arsenal game in the Champions League.
But I was really up for this second leg.
Unlike Wenger’s mollycoddled Arsenal babies, Barcelona can handle pressure.
To recap: the second half started with PSG 2-0 down but still leading 4-2 on aggregate.
Then Iniesta played Neymar in behind Thomas Meunier and the off-balance right back tried to throw his head at the ball. Neymar then touched the defender’s head and collapsed.
German referee Deniz Aytekin didn’t give it but the fifth official did.
The ref made a big mistake there.
Messi decided to hit a power penalty that made it 3-0.
So it was 3-4 on aggregate with 50 minutes to go.
When Rakitic conceded a free-kick in centrefield, Kurzawa ran into the Barcelona box to beat Rakitic and knock the ball down to Cavani, who smashed in a volley from 10 yards.
The first away goal in the two legs! That changed everything.
Sub Angel Di Maria is an antelope who can open a game up, and this game was already open before Draxler released Cavani again. But the centre forward’s shot was stopped by Ter Stegen’s left boot.
Then Suarez was deservedly booked for diving in the box.
It was still 3-5 on aggregate when the fresh Di Maria zoomed away from the ageing Mascherano, only to miskick his shot over the bar.
Frustrated, Di Maria fouled Neymar and the Brazilian took the free-kick himself in 88, he fizzing a 20-yarder into the postage stamp.
When Messi lifted a ball down the middle, Suarez was in front of Marquinhos and fell after minimal contact.
THE DEFENDER WAS MUGGED. If Suarez goes down without contact, he would have been sent off. It’s never a penalty but it’s given.
Neymar slots for 5-5 on aggregate in the 90th minute but PSG will still go through on Cavani’s away goal.,
When Verratti clips Messi, the genius takes a poor free-kick.
It’s all or nothing now and centreback Gerard Pique moves up to centre forward and soon we are into stoppage time and keeper Ter Stegen went up for a Barca free-kick and when the ball was cleared, Ter Stegen was fouled by Verratti and another free kick was taken and Neymar, the main man in the game, cruised infield and lifted a sublime ball over for sub Sergio Roberto to stab the winner from six yards.
A lot of Barcelona’s best football is played off the ball and that’s often ignored.
Final aggregate score: Barcelona 6 Paris Saint-Germain 5.
Barca benefited hugely from two soft penalties. Those penalties changed the match from a game into a spectacle.
That’s great for TV but not for football.
So Barcelona made history by becoming the first team to go through in a Champions League knock-out round after being 4-0 down from the first leg..
VERDICT : Astounding entertainment.