PSG 4-0 Barcelona - As it happened
Re-live the memorable 4-0 triumph of PSG over Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie.
FULL-TIME: PSG 4-0 Barcelona
Barcelona showed signs of life in the final minutes but it was too little too late. The night belonged to PSG who set their pace from the start, won every individual duel and toyed with the visitors the way Barcelona normally do with an inferior opponent.
The ‘birthday boys’ Di Maria and Cavani were both on target, new arrival Draxler also scored and had a fantastic game, this in general was a European night PSG fans will remember for years.
Not a bad birthday for these two! Paris are flying! #UCL pic.twitter.com/YyT4hxAV2W
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 14, 2017
Stoppage time
The assistant shows four minutes of injury time
Over the bar
Neymar, rather than Messi, takes the free-kick, it flies well over
Free-kick to Barcelona
In a dangerous position
Final change for PSG
Pastore comes on for Draxler, scorer of the second goal.
Barcelona hit the post!
Barca earn a corner, Rakitic delivers it and Pique takes the first header towards the far post, Umtiti beats his defender to the ball but it hits the post from close range
84: Umtiti hits the post from close range! Barça almost pull one back #FCBlive #PSGFCB (4-0)
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 14, 2017
Rakitic gets booked
For bringing down Robiot, although it appeared like a simple foul by the Barcelona player, the yellow card was excessive.
What is wrong with Barcelona?
The short answer is 'everything', as they have been completely out-played by PSG tonight. There are less than 10 minutes remaining now and the visitors do not even appear capable of generating a dangerous situation, while PSG seem tireless and are constantly on the look-out for a break.
Chance for Barcelona
Their first in the second half, even if it sounds hard to believe... Neymar's effort from the left goes wide off the far post
Rafinha gets booked
For a late challenge on Nkunku
Substitution for Barcelona
Rakitic replaces Iniesta
GOAL: PSG 4-0 Barcelona (Cavani, 71 mins)
Meunier makes an imperial run down the middle, he cuts it in to Cavani who turns and aims for the far post in one smooth motion, another beautiful goal by the hosts
71' GOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLL PSG!!! @ECavaniOfficial gets in on the action!!! 4-0 Paris lead!!! #PSGFCB pic.twitter.com/jvZJvUU7Z6
— PSG English (@PSG_English) February 14, 2017
Forced change for PSG
Verratti picked up a knock in a clash with Messi, he is replaced by Nkunku
Ter Stegen saves
Lucas looking to imitate the player he replaced, Di Maria, and he shoots from the same spot the Argentinian scored PSG's third but he chooses the bottom corner and the Barca goalkeeper saves
Busquets gets booked
He sees a yellow for a foul on Verrati to prevent a PSG counter-attack
First change for PSG
Lucas replaces Di Maria, somewhat surprisingly
First substitution for Barcelona
Rafinha comes on for Andre Gomes
GOAL: PSG 3-0 Barcelona (Di Maria, 55 mins)
What a strike with his left foot! Di Maria advances towards the area, Cavani creates an open look for him between two Barcelona defenders and the Argentinian smashes it in the top-left corner.
GOAL! Paris 3-0 Barcelona (Di María 55) #UCL pic.twitter.com/h7VOsk8k43
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 14, 2017
Cavani header just high
Verratti crosses from the left, Cavani rises above everyone but Kurzawa, who is also trying to reach the ball, prevents his team-mate from heading the ball as he would have wanted and it goes over the bar
PSG miss a chance
Rabiot drives from the left flank, he crosses in when he reaches the byline but none of his team-mates can connect with the ball as it flies across Barcelona's goal
Second half begins
Barcelona get us under way, there are no changes for either team.
HALF-TIME: PSG 2-0 Barcelona
PSG take a well-deserved two goal lead at the interval not only because Barcelona created just a single chance (which Gomes wasted) while the hosts had five or six genuine goal-scoring opportunities, but mainly for their great work-rate and quality play against a Barcelona side which has looked deflated during the best part of these first 45 minutes.
Draxler fires home his first #UCL goal for Paris and makes it 2-0 at the break. #UCL pic.twitter.com/O9pn36u40J
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 14, 2017
GOAL: PSG 2-0 Barcelona (Draxler, 40 mins)
Rabiot steals from Messi, passes to Verratti who plays a through ball to Draxler on the right and the German does superbly to smash it in the far corner
40' GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLL PSG!!! Julian Draxler doubles Paris' lead!!!! #PSGFCB pic.twitter.com/OksbR9ACqA
— PSG English (@PSG_English) February 14, 2017
40' Lethal counterattack and @MarcoVerratti1 with a perfect pass for Draxler, who takes care of the rest to make it a 2-0 PSG lead! #PSGFCB
— PSG English (@PSG_English) February 14, 2017
PSG almost score the second!
Draxler takes the corner and sends it in the heart of the area, the Barcelona defence stands still and Di Maria fires from close range but Stegen saves with his legs
PSG miss a chance
Draxler drives from the left, he goes past Sergi Roberto but Stegen gets a hand on his shot, corner for PSG
Gomes gets booked
The first Barcelona player to see a yellow card, for stepping on Draxler
Barcelona miss huge chance
Neymar plays a fantastic ball to Gomes on the right, but the Portuguese takes too long to aim and the PSG keeper comes out and saves
PSG wall blocks
Messi takes the free kick, he hits the wall
Free-kick to Barcelona
In a dangerous position, if you have Messi on your team
Barcelona finally visit PSG's area
But Andre Gomes fluffs his lines, he gives time to the defence to close in and his effort is deflected. Nothing comes from the ensuing corner as PSG clear
PSG miss a chance
Cavani fires a volley from outside the area, Ter Stegen is well-positioned and saves
GOAL: PSG 1-0 Barcelona (Di Maria, 18 mins)
This direct free-kick was just too tempting for Di Maria to resist... the Argentinian whips it in the top right corner, there is little Stegen can do here.
18' GOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLL PSG!!!! Ángel Di María fires a perfect free kick!!!!!!! 1-0 Paris lead!!!! #PSGFCB pic.twitter.com/fZAP07FmWG
— PSG English (@PSG_English) February 14, 2017
Free-kick to PSG
In a very dangerous position, as Umtiti brings down Draxler on the edge of the area.
PSG dominant in the first 15 mins
The hosts set the pace early on and have pushed Barcelona back in their area in the opening quarter
Huge double save by Ter Stegen
The Barcelona goalkeeper produces a fantastic one-handed save to an effort by Di Maria, Rabiot gets the rebound and fires but Stegen's reflexes work greatly
10: Great save from Ter Stegen to deny PSG not once but twice! #FCBLive #PSGFCB (0-0)
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 14, 2017
PSG miss first chance
A great ball over the Barcelona defence reaches Cavani, but he cannot make up his mind in time and when he finally shoots it is easy for Ter Stegen to save at the near post
Barcelona free-kick goes to waste
Messi curls it in aiming for Suarez's head, but literally everybody in a PSG shirt closes in the area and the hosts clear.
First yellow card
Rabiot gets booked for a foul from behind on Neymar
Kick-off!
PSG get us under way in Paris, fantastic atmosphere at Parc des Princes.
Un Parc prêt à vibrer ce soir ! #ICICESTPARIS !! pic.twitter.com/pd5XF6uWY1
— PSG English (@PSG_English) February 14, 2017
Teams coming out of the tunnel
Three minutes to kick-off, which means it's only moments till the anthem!
The Chaaaaaaampioooons!
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 14, 2017
We're back. Miss us?#UCL LIVE ➡️️ https://t.co/mSp4SbijMc pic.twitter.com/peQu8sk9Hp
Teams back in the locker rooms
Both sets of players have finished their warm-up and return inside temporarily.
Parc des Princes is ready! Who will win tonight?
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 14, 2017
1. @PSG_inside
2. @FCBarcelona#UCL pic.twitter.com/UoMmraC03A
A big night for three
Today it's Cavani's and Di Maria's birthday, they turn 30 and 29 respectively, but it's arguably a bigger day for their young team-mate Presnel Kimpembe, who makes his Champions League debut replacing injured PSG captain Thiago Silva in the line-up.
It's a big night for Presnel Kimpembe. He's all set for his #UCL debut against Barcelona! https://t.co/hxla9PIr16 pic.twitter.com/ZL57nJqOF9
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 14, 2017
Teams warming up
Both sets of players are now out on the pitch for their warm-up
Julian Draxler and Angel Di Maria are warming up... #PSGFCB pic.twitter.com/6UaGoujmdX
— PSG English (@PSG_English) February 14, 2017
Barcelona are considered favourites
Because A: The return leg next month is at Camp Nou; B: Barca have the most productive attacking trident in Europe in Messi, Suarez and Messi and C: Because they out-scored PSG by a combined 8-2 in their last three clashes, winning on all three occasions.
Here are the starting line-ups for the two teams:
Here's how the teams will line up in Paris. #UCL pic.twitter.com/CXTwmdaSGA
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) February 14, 2017
PSG XI: Trapp, Meunier, Marquinhos, Kimpembe; Kurzawa; Verrati, Rabiot, Matuidi; Di María, Cavani, Draxler
Subs: Areola, Lucas, Pastore, Maxwell, Aurier, Ben Arfa, Nkunku
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Umtiti, Alba; Busquets, André Gomes, Iniesta; Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar.
Subs: Cillessen, Rakitic. Denis Suarez, Rafinha, Alcacer, Digne, Mathieu
Follow live updates from the Champions League Last-16 first-leg clash between PSG and Barcelona in Paris.