PSG vs Barcelona LIVE: Champions League result and final score after five-goal thriller in Paris
PSG 2-3 Barcelona: Barca withstood a second-half comeback to stun the hosts in Paris and take a narrow lead back to Spain
Raphinha scored twice to help Barcelona secure a 3-2 win at Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Barca dominated proceedings early on against the French side still looking for a first Champions League crown and led through a Raphinha strike in the 37th minute.
However, PSG piled on the pressure after the break and levelled in the 48th minute through a stunning Ousmane Dembele strike into the top corner before going ahead when Vitinha stroked the ball in two minutes later.
But Raphinha’s deft volley in the 62nd minute brought the match level again, before Andreas Christensen headed in from a corner 13 minutes from time to give the Spanish side a narrow advantage going into next week’s second leg.
Follow live updates in tonight’s match blog, below, and get the latest odds and tips, here.
Second half
In Paris, meanwhile, there’s a change to tell you about - young Bradley Barcola has replaced Marco Asensio. Barcelona as they were before the oranges.
HT: PSG 0-1 Barcelona
Down in Madrid, Atletico are well on top against Borussia Dortmund, 2-0 up with Antoine Griezmann pulling the strings.
HT: PSG 0-1 Barcelona
A nip-and-tuck half but Barcelona will be much the happier, threatening more and more as it went on and ahead in the tie thanks to Raphinha’s goal. Their defence has settled in after a slightly loose start, 17-yaer-old Pau Cubarsi impressive on the biggest night of his career and Jules Kounde handling fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappe well.
PSG 0-1 Barcelona, 45 + 1 minutes
Raphinha shakes off Lucas Hernandez and searches for a teammate, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal lagging a little in offering their support. Yamal is eventually found but plants his curling effort into the stands.
PSG 0-1 Barcelona, 45 minutes
Into two added minutes at the end of the half.
PSG 0-1 Barcelona, 44 minutes
A backheel from Lamine Yamal crawls to Sergi Roberto, meaning the midfielder’s cross is more hurried than he’d like. Robert Lewandowski nonetheless takes it with aplomb on his chest, though had strayed offside.
PSG 0-1 Barcelona, 42 minutes
Barcelona are doing a pretty good job of keeping Kylian Mbappe handled, the French star sprinting in behind but unable to turn and fire from an acute angle before he is swarmed.
PSG 0-1 Barcelona, 40 minutes
It was a bit of desperate dive at the ball from Donnarumma with Robert Lewandowski waiting to tap in, but you do wonder if the PSG goalkeeper could have done better here.
GOAL! PSG 0-1 Barcelona (Raphinha, 37 minutes)
A first Champions League goal for Raphinha and Barcelona are ahead!
You just felt like the Brazilian was going to take one of his chances soon enough. Robert Lewandowski drops deep into his own half but spins intelligently to breach the PSG press, leaving their defensive four in retreat. Lamine Yamal is used on the right edge, the youngster fizzing in a cross which a sliding Gianluigi Donnarumma is unable to cut out.
The bouncing ball still requires finishing with a couple of PSG defenders hurrying to form a protective barrier on the line, but Raphinha plants with precision into the top corner to put his side in front.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments