In the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, Spanish club Barcelona defeated French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 3-2 at their own ground. This victory at the Aviva Stadium sets up an advantageous position for Barcelona in the second leg, which will be played at PSG’s home ground, Parc des Princes.
Barcelona took the lead in the 37th minute through a goal by Rafinha. Despite PSG gaining a 2-1 lead in the match with goals from Dembélé in the 48th minute and Bhitinhal in the 51st minute, Barcelona staged a comeback. Rafinha scored his second goal in the 62nd minute to bring the game level. Then, substitute player Andre Christensen scored the winning goal in the 77th minute, securing Barcelona’s victory.
This win showcased the emergence of young talents in Barcelona’s squad. Except for the 35-year-old striker Robert Lewandowski and 33-year-old midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, most of Barcelona’s players in the starting lineup were young and playing in the Champions League knockout stage for the first time.
Lamin Yama (16 years, 272 days) and Pau Cubarsi (17 years, 79 days) became the youngest players to debut in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Defenders Jules Konde and Ronald Araujo, both 25 years old, contributed to the victory. Additionally, 21-year-old Pedri and 20-year-old Permin Lopez showcased their talents after rising through the ranks.
The second leg will take place at Barcelona‘s home ground on April 16.
In another quarterfinal first-leg match, Spanish club Atletico Madrid defeated German club Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at home. Rodrigo de Paul scored in the fourth minute and Lino scored in the 32nd minute for Atletico Madrid, while Sebastian Heller scored for Dortmund in the 81st minute.
