Paris Saint-German produced a master-class display to comprehensively beat Barcelona 4-0 at Parc des Princes in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday.
Paris Saint-German 4 Barcelona 0
Di Maria free-kick breaks deadlock
Draxler doubles PSGs lead before HT
Di Maria on target again after break
Cavani seals convincing win
Match Summary
Luis Enriques side were stifled by the hosts as their attacking trident hardly had a sniff at goal, while Angel Di Maria led the way with a brace and fellow birthday-boy Edinson Cavani also got on the scoresheet alongside Julian Draxler to take command of their European clash against the Blaugrana.
Full Report
PSG put Barca under pressure from the get-go and caused the visitors all sorts of problems in the opening stages.A fifth-minute break from the hosts saw Di Maria look to pick out the run of Blaise Matuidi on the left, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen read the danger to race out of his area and make a vital interception.
Edinson Cavani had the first real chance a minute later after being released on the left by Di Maria, but his shot was blocked and Julian Draxler curled his effort wide of the right post on the follow-up.
Matuidi was presented with another good opportunity on 11 minutes when he forced a fine save out of Ter Stegen with an angled shot on the left, before Adrien Rabiot fired straight at the keeper after collecting the ball on the rebound.
But there was nothing Ter Stegen could do to prevent Les Parisiens from taking the lead in the 18th minute, with Di Maria curling his free-kick over the wall and inside the right post, after Draxler had been brought down by Samuel Umtiti just outside the area.
Andre Gomes nearly found the equaliser nine minutes later after latching onto Neymars through-ball into the right channel, but the midfielder fired into the side-netting.
The Catalans started dominating possession around the half-hour mark, with PSG adopting a counter-attacking approach and it almost paid dividends on 34 minutes when Di Maria released Draxler on the left, and the German looked to catch out Ter Stegen at his near post, but the keeper just got a glove to the shot.
Their tireless work ethic led to a second goal six minutes later as Messi was robbed of possession and Marco Verratti played an exquisite through-ball for Draxler, who fired across the keeper into the left corner of the net.
The French giants continued to look dangerous after the break and they threatened just four minutes into the second half as Cavani headed a Matuidi cross from the left over the crossbar.
They were firmly in the driving seat on 55 minutes when a sweeping move saw them pass the ball out from their own penalty area and Thomas Meunier picked out Di Maria, who curled a beautiful shot into the top-left corner from 20 yards out.
Lucas Moura nearly made an immediate impact from the bench as he had a shot blocked by Jordi Alba before dribbling into the area and firing a weak effort at Ter Stegen on 66 minutes.
Barca were torn apart by another counter on 71 minutes when Meunier beat his man inside his own half and carried the ball upfield unopposed before playing in Cavani on the right, and the Uruguayan striker lashed his shot past Ter Stegen at his near post.
The Spanish champions went within a whisker of grabbing an away goal six minutes from time as Ivan Rakitics corner was headed back across the six-yard box by Gerard Pique, but Umtiti hit the left post from close range pressure from Layvin Kurzawa.
Paris Saint-German 4 Barcelona 0
Di Maria free-kick breaks deadlock
Draxler doubles PSGs lead before HT
Di Maria on target again after break
Cavani seals convincing win
Match Summary
Luis Enriques side were stifled by the hosts as their attacking trident hardly had a sniff at goal, while Angel Di Maria led the way with a brace and fellow birthday-boy Edinson Cavani also got on the scoresheet alongside Julian Draxler to take command of their European clash against the Blaugrana.
Full Report
PSG put Barca under pressure from the get-go and caused the visitors all sorts of problems in the opening stages.A fifth-minute break from the hosts saw Di Maria look to pick out the run of Blaise Matuidi on the left, but Marc-Andre ter Stegen read the danger to race out of his area and make a vital interception.
Edinson Cavani had the first real chance a minute later after being released on the left by Di Maria, but his shot was blocked and Julian Draxler curled his effort wide of the right post on the follow-up.
Matuidi was presented with another good opportunity on 11 minutes when he forced a fine save out of Ter Stegen with an angled shot on the left, before Adrien Rabiot fired straight at the keeper after collecting the ball on the rebound.
But there was nothing Ter Stegen could do to prevent Les Parisiens from taking the lead in the 18th minute, with Di Maria curling his free-kick over the wall and inside the right post, after Draxler had been brought down by Samuel Umtiti just outside the area.
Andre Gomes nearly found the equaliser nine minutes later after latching onto Neymars through-ball into the right channel, but the midfielder fired into the side-netting.
The Catalans started dominating possession around the half-hour mark, with PSG adopting a counter-attacking approach and it almost paid dividends on 34 minutes when Di Maria released Draxler on the left, and the German looked to catch out Ter Stegen at his near post, but the keeper just got a glove to the shot.
Their tireless work ethic led to a second goal six minutes later as Messi was robbed of possession and Marco Verratti played an exquisite through-ball for Draxler, who fired across the keeper into the left corner of the net.
The French giants continued to look dangerous after the break and they threatened just four minutes into the second half as Cavani headed a Matuidi cross from the left over the crossbar.
They were firmly in the driving seat on 55 minutes when a sweeping move saw them pass the ball out from their own penalty area and Thomas Meunier picked out Di Maria, who curled a beautiful shot into the top-left corner from 20 yards out.
Lucas Moura nearly made an immediate impact from the bench as he had a shot blocked by Jordi Alba before dribbling into the area and firing a weak effort at Ter Stegen on 66 minutes.
Barca were torn apart by another counter on 71 minutes when Meunier beat his man inside his own half and carried the ball upfield unopposed before playing in Cavani on the right, and the Uruguayan striker lashed his shot past Ter Stegen at his near post.
The Spanish champions went within a whisker of grabbing an away goal six minutes from time as Ivan Rakitics corner was headed back across the six-yard box by Gerard Pique, but Umtiti hit the left post from close range pressure from Layvin Kurzawa.
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