Barcelona produce historic comeback to overcome PSG – Champions League

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FC Barcelona 6-1 PSG (Agg. 6-5)

Barcelona produced the greatest comeback in Champions League history to beat Paris St Germain 6-1 at the Nou Camp, with a goal from Sergi Roberto five minutes into stoppage time securing a 6-5 aggregate win and a place in the quarter-finals.

Trailing 4-0 from their trip to France in the opening leg of the last-16 clash, Luis Enrique’s men were looking to make history and also avoid their earliest exit from the competition in a decade.

Luis Suarez’s close-range header gave Barcelona the perfect start inside three minutes before an own goal from Layvin Kurzawa halved the deficit before the interval.

A penalty from Lionel Messi five minutes into the second half had the Nou Camp rocking, only for Edinson Cavani to crash in what looked a crucial away goal just after the hour mark which boosted PSG’s advantage.

Neymar, though, netted a superb late free-kick before levelling the tie with a last-minute penalty to get the Barcelona fans dreaming of the impossible once again.

That became a reality when, with goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen having joined the attack, Neymar lofted the ball into a crowded penalty area.

Roberto stabbed it past Kevin Trapp to spark wild celebrations on the Barcelona bench and in the stands, while PSG watched on in disbelief.

Sergi Roberto scores Barcelona’s all important goal.

Barcelona had made a flying start to lift hopes of turning the tie around.

Rafinha floated a high cross into the PSG penalty area from the right, which was nodded back up into the air.

As the ball dropped and PSG goalkeeper Trapp hesitated to punch clear, Suarez was alert to head the ball in, which was then hacked out from under the net but it had clearly crossed the line.

PSG, who came to Spain unbeaten in 16 matches with 14 wins, tried to respond quickly and felt they had a strong claim for a penalty after Julian Draxler’s cross looked to have hit Javier Mascherano on the arm, but the referee was not interested.

Barcelona went close again on 17 minutes when Neymar curled his shot narrowly wide.

It was 2-0 on 41 minutes with another scrappy goal.

Captain Andres Iniesta chased what looked a lost cause into the left side of the PSG penalty area, but managed to dig possession out from Marquinhos.

As the ball went back through the six-yard box, Trapp palmed it onto Kurzawa, who could only slice an attempted clearance into the empty net.

Enrique’s men continued on the offensive at the start of the second half.

Luis Suarez celebrates after opening the scoring.

Neymar darted into the left side of the PSG box, where defender Thomas Meunier was slipping to the floor as he stumbled forwards headfirst and pulled down the Brazilian.

Initially the German referee did not give the penalty, but pointed to the spot once he had consulted with his assistant behind the goal. Messi made no mistake as he drilled the ball past Trapp.

PSG, though, almost put the tie to bed immediately after when Meunier got away down the right and whipped a low ball through the Barcelona penalty area, where Cavani slid in to crash his shot against the near post.

As the hour mark passed, a deep free-kick was lobbed into the Barcelona penalty area.

Kurzawa nodded the ball back down into the path of Cavani, who drilled a half-volley past Ter Stegen which looked to have killed off the tie.

The inform Uruguayan forward was denied a second when sent clear as Ter Stegen blocked at the near post.

Barcelona appeared to have run out of steam, before Neymar whipped an angled free-kick from 25 yards direct into the top-left corner with two minutes left.

Suarez then went down under a challenge from Marquinhos, which was enough for the referee to again point to the spot.

This time Neymar converted, before Barcelona kept the pressure on and they were rewarded when Roberto scored his first goal of the season and the most dramatic of winners as the Nou Camp erupted.

Lionel Messi celebrates at full-time.

Elsewhere tonight Borussia Dortmund defeated Benfica 4-0 to progress 4-1 on aggregate. A Christian Pulisic goal and a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hat-trick inspired the German side to a second leg comeback.

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