La Remontada Part II: Paris Saint-Germain Capitalize on Barcelona Mistakes
PSG's come-from-behind victory against rivals Barcelona secures a place in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
It would have been easy for Paris Saint-Germain to collapse under the pressure.
Having already lost 3-2 in the first leg to FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, Les Parisiens quickly found themselves down 4-2 on aggregate after Raphinha’s goal in the 12th minute.
We’ve all seen this script before. Whether it’s Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, or FC Bayern Munich, PSG almost always comes up second best when facing adversity in the Champions League. But this isn’t the PSG of the past.
Instead of dropping their heads, complaining to the referee, and making more mistakes that could lead to goals, PSG continued to battle, and in the 29th minute, Bradley Barcola was brought down by Ronald Araújo as he raced toward Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The Barcelona defender was given a straight red and sent off, providing PSG with the opportunity they desperately needed.
Ousmane Dembélé had been on the receiving end of disgusting abuse following his goal celebration in the first leg at the Parc des Princes, and with the entire stadium against him and whistling his every touch, he stepped up and converted a Barcola cross for PSG’s first goal on the night. That goal helped him win Man of the Match honors, and it launched PSG’s version of la Remontada.
In the second half, PSG launched waves of attack and one was capped off with a stunning goal from Vitinha in the 54th minute. He’s never shy to test the goalkeeper from distance, and with Barcelona giving him acres of space and time following a corner, the Portugal international made them pay with a low shot that beat ter Stegen.
Following the goal, Xavi was given a red and sent off after kicking a camera stand out of frustration with the official. That moment really proved who the better manager is and why PSG is advancing to the next stage, and Barcelona isn’t. From social media to Luis Enrique on the sideline, PSG maintained their cool and went about their business. They never got too high, or too low. PSG always had a plan, and it worked to perfection.
Once PSG leveled the tie on aggregate with Vitinha’s goal, Kylian Mbappé would put Barcelona out of their misery. Dembélé was taken down just inside the box by João Cancelo, yet another mistake by Barcelona, and Mbappé made them pay with a perfectly placed penalty kick.
To Barcelona’s credit, they attempted to claw back their lead, but Marquinhos and Gianluigi Donnarumma would be up for the challenge in the latter stages of the match. As Barcelona poured forward, fighting for their Champions League lives, PSG caught them on the counter. Mbappé’s initial shot was saved, as was the shot from Marco Asensio, who came on as a substitute, but Mbappé would get another opportunity after a poor Barcelona clearance, and he wouldn’t be denied again.
After the final whistle, PSG players celebrated with the traveling supporters, and rightfully so. No expert and most supporters didn’t expect PSG to reach the semi-final of the Champions League when the season started. Yet, here they are with a date with Borussia Dortmund for a chance to reach the final. That tie won’t be easy, but PSG will know they can beat the German side, having already done that in the group stage a few months ago. Not only that, but PSG will host the second leg of the tie with their supporters behind them.
For now, PSG supporters should be proud of their club and celebrate the comeback victory. It hasn’t happened that often in the Qatar Sports Investments era, and it’s an accomplishment that will go a long way in the development of young players like Barcola and Warren Zaïre-Emery.
Up next for PSG is a home match against Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday. It should be a great environment as the Ultras welcome their side back following his incredible victory. It’s also important to get three points as PSG looks to secure the Ligue 1 title as soon as possible before the tie against Dortmund.