A defensive nightmare, ridden with errors and poor decisions, saw Barcelona crash out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals with a 6-4 aggregate loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
Barca took the lead inside the first 15 minutes, as Lamine Yamal danced through PSG’s backline before finding Raphinha, who couldn’t miss from close-range. Things changed, though, when Ronald Araujo dragged Bradley Barcola down as he ran through on goal, earning himself a straight red for his clumsiness.
The tie turned on that incident, and ex-Barca winger Ousmane Dembele equalised on the night shortly before half-time, turning Barcola’s angled cross into the roof of the net with Marc-Andre ter Stegen sprawling. The Parisians didn’t need long to turn things round in the second half, either, as Vitinha scored with a drilled effort from outside the box before Kylian Mbappe made it 5-4 on aggregate with a clinical penalty.
Everything devolved from there. Barca boss Xavi had already been sent off for protesting a decision, while yellows were dished out in spades, and Mbappe then delivered the final blow in the 88th minute, smashing home after another Barca blunder at the back.
