PSG goes back and dismantles (4-1) a Barça reduced to 10 to qualify for the semi-final – Libération

2024-04-16 21:00:43

Champions LeaguefileThe Parisian club won 4-1 on the pitch at the Montjuïc stadium, this Tuesday, April 16, against FC Barcelona and qualifies for the semi-final of the Champions League.

Beaten in the first leg at the Parc (2-3) in a match that they could just as easily have won, the Parisians rinsed FC Barcelona on Tuesday at Montjuïc in biblical proportions, which the score (1-4) n It doesn’t even indicate. The events of the match, starting with the expulsion of Catalan defender Ronald Araujo after half an hour, will have served the Parisians. But, on the one hand, they reflect the fact that Barça was constantly on the limit. And, on the other hand, Paris-SG will have dominated this quarter-final return from the first to the last minute.

The Parisians started the match by setting up their base camp in the Spanish half with the kind complicity of the Blaugrana, who thus have space behind the backs of Nuno Mendes and others. And yet, Barça will take control of a placed attack, a monumental oversight of the Parisian defensive organization: Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal has the pleasure of finding himself alone against Nuno Mendes on the right side, the youngster (16 years old) winger hypnotizes the Parisian defender with a few touches and finds Raphinha at the near post (1-0, 12th). A good quarter of an hour later, Ronald Araujo jostled Bradley Barcola who was heading full throttle towards the Catalan goal: red for the Uruguayan (30th), an hour in numerical inferiority in perspective for the Spanish champions. As a result, spaces open up almost everywhere in Barça’s defense and Barcola, once again, drives the point home on his left wing and finds Ousmane Dembélé who cannons Marc-André Ter Stegen’s goal (1-1, 40th) .

Wind force 7

Before and after these events, the Parisian team is very objectively above. More nervous, more aggressive too, faster in races and initiatives: a bit as if Pedri and his teammates were afraid to bite into the match. Lemons everywhere and a force 7 wind at the backs of Parisians. Who must then put two ingredients to take the royal road. Firstly, the rhythm: a team reduced to ten leaves spaces, the players also tire more quickly and those who are on the bench do not necessarily have the quality of the starters. Two: composure. Paris-SG has time, its destiny depends on it (no defensive errors), because at this level of superiority and talent, their goals will come by themselves.

The Portuguese midfielder from PSG Vitinha will take care of the second (54th), with a dry strike from 20 meters which he had plenty of time to adjust. For having kicked a slat into a tarpaulin protecting a camera, Barça coach Xavi was immediately expelled. And an absurd tackle by João Cancelo on Dembélé offers a penalty to Kylian Mbappé, who qualifies (virtually, at this stage) his club for the semis (1-3, 61st). The Catalans then have neither the means to go after the Parisians high up to impose on them the test of strength of pressing, nor those to run the ball (the numerical inferiority does not help), nor the percussion qualities and speed to create the differences leading to scoring opportunities.

Cinematographic

They only have one role to play: that of spectator. Frankie de Jong, Cancelo and Pedri just have to hold the candle. And wait for the shower. Or the Parisian fault, collective or individual: Marquinhos and Lucas Hernandez will not extend this pole to them and will lead the meeting towards its truth with a firm hand, giving the impression of overlooking the debates from very high up. We were even surprised to think that they didn’t do too much, as if they still kept a little in case of extra time (a Catalan goal and we were there) or that they had a very relative vision of the danger represented by their adversary of the day. Mbappé will put one last one (1-4, 89th) anyway, on a cinematic counter where four Parisian players crossed the entire field elbows to the body and raising their knees. Borussia Dortmund, winner of Atlético Madrid (1-2, 4-2), will await the Parisians in the semi-finals.