April 11 – FC Barcelona emerged triumphant from their trip to Paris in the first leg of the Champions League quarter final against PSG on Wednesday night, as Xavi extended his side’s unbeaten run to 12 games.
Wonderkid duo Yamine Lamal and Pau Cubarsi both started for the Catalan club as they dug out a hard-earned 3-2 victory away from home to give themselves a healthy advantage going into the reverse fixture at the Camp Nou next week.
Brazilian winger Raphinha, whose season has been hampered with a string of injuries, opened the scoring with a virtually uncontested shot at goal following a spill from PSG keeper Donnarumma.
Entering into the second half, PSG’s Ousmane Dembele scored against his former club to level the tie with a thumping effort at the near post. Barca boss Xavi mentioned the Frenchman in the pre match press conference, expressing a twinge of jealousy that the Parisiens were able to take away “one of [Barca’s] best players”.
Portuguese midfielder Vitinha converted a sliding finish into the bottom left to double PSG’s lead just three minutes later, finalising a rapid five-minute turnaround since the start of the second half.
The turning point of the match was marked by Pedri’s introduction from the bench, immediately assisting Raphinha with one of his first touches.
Rounding out a dramatic night at the Parc des Princes, Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen scored from a corner situation to give his side a hard-fought victory away from home.
Elsewhere in the quarter finals, Atletico Madrid hosted Borussia Dortmund in a tense 2-1 victory for the home side.
Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodrigo De Paul’s early goal capitalised on a defensive error, opening the scoring in the 4th minute and marking a nightmare start for Edin Terzic’s young Dortmund side.
It was a game of two halves as Atletico doubled up inside the first period of play through wing-back Samuel Lino, before Sebastien Haller’s late finish kept his side in the fight heading into the match at the Signal Iduna Park next week.
