Champion Roars: PSG beat Barcelona

by HITEN PATEL(IN)

Ninety minutes of inspired football saw Paris Saint-Germain defeat Barcelona on Tuesday.

A set-piece header from David Luiz in the 10th minute was quickly countered by sensational build-up play from Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi. Messi leveled the affair a mere sixty seconds after Luiz’s euphoria. But the hosts weren’t finished. Marco Verratti would punish Barcelona on another set-piece header before the half. Blaise Matuidi extended the lead with a clinical finish after the break, only to see it negated by a world-class half-volley from Neymar in the 56th minute. But PSG proved to be too much on the night, capturing a much-needed 3-2 victory.

A goal from Blaise Matuidi was ultimately enough for Paris Saint-Germain as they beat Barcelona 3-2 in a Champions League thriller on Tuesday.

The Ligue 1 champions were without talismanic striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic as well as Thiago Silva and Ezequiel Lavezzi, but held off late Barca pressure to end the visitors’ unbeaten start to the campaign and dampen an historic occasion for midfielder Xavi.

Coming off the bench to make a record 143rd appearance in the Champions League proper, the former Spain international was on the losing side after defender David Luiz – a target for the Spanish giants in the close-season – showed his quality in the final third with a smart turn and finish to give PSG what proved to be a short-lived lead after 10 minutes.

Lionel Messi was the man to restore parity less than two minutes later in the Group F clash as he swept home Barca’s 500th Champions League goal, although PSG were ahead again shortly before the half-hour mark.

After Marc-Andre ter Stegen failed to collect a deep corner, Marco Verratti headed home his first PSG goal, with Blaise Matuidi making it 3-1 early in the second half.

While Neymar’s smart finish from inside the area gave Barca hope, PSG had not lost at home in Europe since November 2006 – a record they maintained with some stoic late defending.

When Sergio Busquets lost possession cheaply early on, former Barca man Thiago Motta blazed PSG’s first attempt over the crossbar as the hosts began brightly.

That lively opening was rewarded when Luiz brought down Lucas Moura’s free kick and rolled the ball past Ter Stegen as Barca conceded the first competitive goal of Luis Enrique’s tenure.

PSG’s joy was brief, however, as Messi capped off a slick exchange with Andres Iniesta to level and end his run of three Champions League games without a goal – the Argentina star’s longest goalless sequence since May 2009.

What a victory !!!! Champion Roars!!!!!