Barcelona, the five-time winners, managed to overcome an initial setback and gain a slight advantage over Paris St-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final in France.
Despite the intimidating atmosphere created by the Parisian crowd, Barcelona’s manager, Xavi, made excellent use of his substitutes to change the course of the match in their favor.
The opening goal came from Brazilian winger Raphinha, who skillfully converted a loose ball into the net after Gianluigi Donnarumma, PSG’s goalkeeper, could only deflect a low cross.
However, PSG quickly responded in the second half. Ousmane Dembele fired a powerful shot into the top corner of the net after a poor clearance, and Vitinha found the far corner of the goal after receiving a pass from the right.
As the hosts continued to dominate, substitute Bradley Barcola came close to scoring, hitting the crossbar. Barcelona, who hadn’t reached this stage of the competition since 2020, were under immense pressure.
To turn the tide, Spain midfielder Pedri was brought on as a substitute. His immediate impact was evident when he delivered a delightful ball over the PSG defense, which Raphinha expertly volleyed into the net with the outside of his right foot.
Both teams pushed forward, with Dembele hitting the outside of the post. However, it was Barcelona’s substitute, Andreas Christensen, who ultimately secured the victory. He headed home a corner from four yards out, taking advantage of being left unmarked in the center of the goal.