Hello everyone,
What a performance it was by FC Barcelona at the Parc des Princes, Paris. This was the 1st leg of the Quarter Final match up against Paris Saint Germain (PSG). It was always going to be a tough tie for Barca especially since these two sides have played each other quite often in the Champions League for a few seasons now; and given the stakes, boy FCB made it look so easy. And it must be said that it was the perfect response after a bad result the past weekend.
Barca looked dominant and stamped their authority right from the kick-off. They looked sharp up and down the field. Leo Messi went close to opening the score sheet for Barca on the night, but his well struck effort was denied by the woodwork with the PSG keeper well beaten. But, the 1st goal did not take long to come by when Leo Messi laid the ball for Neymar and with only the keeper to beat, the latter placed the ball perfectly into the bottom corner to get a well deserved lead for Barca. PSG were dealt an early blow when their inspirational skipper Thiago Silva had to make way for David Luiz very early on in the game.
Barca continued to threaten for the remainder of the 1st half, while PSG were merely chasing shadows. Such was the difference in the attitude of the two sides. Then came the 2nd half and Barca started it just as the 1st half. Luis Suarez was everywhere in the attacking third and just like in the 1st half, continued to harass David Luiz with his incisive runs toward the PSG goal. And it wasn't much before he put his name on the score sheet when he created a goal from almost nothing. Suarez received the ball on the right-flank, cut inside by nutmegging David Luiz, showed great strength to keep the ball away from the tackles of Marquinnhos and Maxwell and then fired a shot low to the keeper's left. The shot had enough power to hit the back of the net despite a block from the PSG keeper and Barca celebrated like wild knowing the importance of that goal in this tie.
PSG needed to fight back to have any hope of a chance in the reverse leg at Camp Nou, but that they never seemed like it. It seemed like Barca were more desperate to find another goal rather than PSG scoring their 1st of the night. And after a brief period of lull, Javier Mascherano fed Luiz Suarez with a decent ball and Suarez raced to to the PSG goal after nutmegging David Luiz for the 2nd time and with only the keeper to beat after that, he fired a curling shot into the top corner which showed the exact amount of confidence he had in himself right now. Suarez was just sensational for Barca tonight! That goal was pretty much the final nail in the coffin for PSG who were down 3 goals, yes 3 away goals, by then. A word of praise for the Barca defense too especially Mascherano who made several last ditch tackles to deny PSG any kind of a sniff in this QF tie. PSG then scored from a late deflection off Jeremy Mathieu which gave them a consolation on this night. Jeremy then atoned for his mistake when he had brilliantly blocked a Cavani effort very late in the game, which if scored might have PSG given some hope again.
All in all, it was the FC Barcelona who won in Paris with some delightful football from their players just when it was needed. They will have the chance to make it to the Champions League Semi Finals in a weeks time from now. Visca Barca!
Thanks for reading & cheers! See you again! - yps05
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