SUMMARY
- FC Barcelona marked a 3-2 victory against PSG in the first leg of UCL quarterfinal.
- PSG's Kylian Mbappe was mocked by fans after a shocking display against FC Barcelona.
Kylian Mbappe had a night to forget as PSG took on FC Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinals at Parc des Princes. After a gap of four years, FC Barcelona marked their return to the quarterfinals of Europe’s premier competition with a 3-2 victory. However, Kylian Mbappe has been called out by soccer fans for his dismal performance against Barcelona, especially after his bold words before the game.
It was rightly a game of two halves, with FC Barcelona putting up a dominant display in the first half. Despite a shaky start, FC Barcelona grabbed the lead from Raphinha’s goal, his first in the Champions League, in the 37th minute. PSG wasted no time in grabbing the equalizer in the second half, with Ousmane Dembele scoring against his former club in the 48th minute.
Kylian Mbappe in the first leg against Barcelona:
• 0 shots on target
• 0 assists
• 25% duels won
• Lost possession 13 times
• Had his 7-game streak of scoring against Spanish opposition snappedCompletely neutralized by Barcelona’s backline 🔒 pic.twitter.com/aJe6lWF9RY
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 10, 2024
FC Barcelona was still reeling from Dembele’s goal when Vitinha gave PSG the lead just two minutes after their equalizer. However, super-sub Pedri managed to provide an inch-perfect assist to Raphinha who scored to make it 2-2. Ultimately, it was the super-sub Andreas Christensen who restored FC Barcelona’s lead with practically his first touch of the night after scoring with a header from a corner kick in the 77th minute.
On the other hand, PSG talisman Kylian Mbappe was hardly visible in the game as he failed to record a single shot on target and lost possession 13 times. The fans were quick to call out Mbappe for his poor performance, with one fan even writing, “Barcelona exposed him, and we’ll expose him more when he joins Madrid“. Credit must be given to Barcelona’s defensive trio of Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, and Pau Cubarsi who expertly neutralized Kylian Mbappe’s threat.
Ousmane Dembele burns all bridges with FC Barcelona by celebrating his goal
Meanwhile, Ousmane Dembele returned to haunt his former club, FC Barcelona, after scoring PSG’s opening goal. Dembele, who left Barcelona at the start of this season, scored with a thumping shot past Marc-Andre Ter Stegen who didn’t have time to even move a muscle. It was the French international’s second-ever goal for PSG in 35 appearances this season (via Transfermarkt).
Dembele scored against Barca and celebrated 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/zzmLx9kvSD
— Dr Yash (@YashRMFC) April 10, 2024
However, the FC Barcelona supporters wouldn’t be too pleased after Dembele didn’t even hesitate who celebrate after scoring against his former club. The 26-year-old should expect an ugly reception from the Barcelona fans when he returns to the Spotify Camp Nou for the second leg.
Sergio Roberto
Andreas ChristensenAre both out of second leg due to
Booking suspension. #FCB#PSGBAR— All Transfer (@Allfcbtransfer) April 10, 2024
While FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez would be happy with his side’s performance, the ex-Spanish international has been dealt a big blow. Xavi wouldn’t have Sergio Roberto and Andreas Christensen available for the return leg after the pair got a yellow card and will remain suspended. Nevertheless, for the neutral fans, they are in for a treat as PSG travels to Spain in a few days for a blockbuster second leg.
