90min

X reacts as PSG reach Champions League semi-finals with Remontada revenge

  • PSG beat Barcelona in Champions League quarter-final tie
  • Kylian Mbappe scores twice; Ousmane Dembele shines against former club
  • X users reacted to a stunning night of elite European football

By Jamie Spencer

Kylian Mbappe dished out PSG's sweet revenge
Kylian Mbappe dished out PSG's sweet revenge / David Ramos/GettyImages
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Paris Saint-Germain are into the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2021 after pulling off both a comeback on the night and on aggregate against Barcelona, evoking memories of 2017's La Remontada - just the other way around.

Prior to kick-off, Barcelona led 3-2 from the first leg and came onto the pitch against a backdrop of noise from just over 50,000 fans inside the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, delighted to witness the first Champions League quarter-final tie being played in the city since 2019.

But PSG's thumping 4-1 win left those supporters distraught and the French contingent elated.

These are two of the biggest names in world football, clubs who have spent insane amounts of money in the transfer market. But youth was the order of the day from the off.

It took just 12 minutes for Barcelona to break the deadlock and extend their aggregate advantage. Raphinha scored the goal after Lamine Yamal breezed past Nuno Mendes like he wasn't there.

The watching world went crazy for the 16-year-old.

A record breaker, no less.

As an aside, it was also a major landmark goal for Barcelona in the Champions League.

But things got way harder when Ronald Araujo was sent off for bringing down PSG winger Bradley Barcola only 29 minutes in. A VAR check confirmed it was a free-kick and not a penalty, although there was no saving the Uruguayan centre-back from an early bath either.

The flipside of Araujo's dismissal was Barca needing to bring on another defender in his absence and sacrificing Yamal of all people to make it happen.

With a player advantage, it wasn't long before PSG levelled things up on the night. Of course, it was only ever going to be Ousmane Dembele.

PSG got the next goal too, Vitinha putting the French side ahead on the night and level on aggregate at 4-4 with just over 35 minutes of the 90 to play.

A few minutes later, PSG had themselves a penalty. Demebele was the player who drew the foul.

Kylian Mbappe scored it to put PSG 3-1 up and also 5-4 ahead in the tie overall.

Tempers boiled over and another red card came out, this time for Xavi on the sideline.

Barcelona's own penalty appeals were denied.

For PSG, this was revenge for La Remontada, at last.

As Barcelona desperately pushed, trying to remontada the remontada, spaces opened up and PSG took full advantage. Mbappe scored his second, making it 4-1 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate.

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