Luis Enrique returned to Barcelona and led Paris Saint-Germain to a stunning 4-1 victory over his former club, knocking them out of the Champions League with a 6-4 aggregate win.
PSG fought back from 1-0 down in the second leg and 3-2 down in the tie to secure a place in the semifinals, where they will face Borussia Dortmund.
Barcelona took the lead on the night through Raphinha (12), but the game changed when Ronald Araujo was sent off (29) for a foul on Bradley Barcola.
PSG capitalized on the numerical advantage, with Ousmane Dembele (40) and Vintinha (54) scoring to level the tie. Kylian Mbappe then put PSG ahead on aggregate from the penalty spot (61) after a foul by Joao Cancelo.
Mbappe sealed the win with another goal late in the game, capitalizing on a mistake from Jules Kounde. The match ended in controversy as Barcelona’s coach Xavi was sent off and later protested the decision to the referee.
“The referee was really bad. I told him his performance was a disaster. I don’t like to talk about referees, but it had a clear impact in the season and it has to be said,” Xavi told Movistar Plus.
“We are very upset and angry because the red card was the decisive factor in the match. With 11 (players) we were in a good position, playing well and in command.
“It’s too much to flash a red card in a game like this. There was another game after that… It is a pity that the work of the season was ruined by an unnecessary expulsion.”
PSG will now play Dortmund in the semi-finals, having already met them in the group phase of this season’s competition. The German team also performed a turnaround in their tie with Atletico Madrid, responding to last week’s 2-1 defeat in Spain with a 4-2 win in their second leg, resulting in a 5-4 aggregate triumph.
🎥🗣️ Reactions after last night’s win
💬 Nasser Al-Khelaïfi: “It’s magnificent. Honestly, being in the semi-finals, winning here in Barcelona, it’s a historic moment.” pic.twitter.com/gsiaMt4TX0
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 17, 2024