Mbappé strikes again to take PSG past Barcelona into Champions League last eight

Paris Saint-Germain moved into the last eight of the Uefa Champions League on Wednesday night following a 1-1 draw with Barcelona.

Kylian Mbappé scored the goal that gave Paris Saint-Germain a 5-1 aggregate lead over Barcelona in their last-16 tie in the Champions League. REUTERS - GONZALO FUENTES

PSG went into the second leg at the Parc des Princes holding a 4-1 lead and memories of a 6-1 loss to the same opponents at the same stage of the competition in 2017.

But that was PSG under Unai Emery. Mauricio Pochettino now holds the reins and his side was immediately under the cosh. 

Barcelona swarmed forward seeking goals. Ousmane Dembélé should have given the visitors the lead on three occasions.

But the 23-year-old France international finished like a Sunday league clogger rather than a honed professional.

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In the 30th minute, against the run of play, the hosts took the lead. Layvin Kurzawa put in a cross from the left which was collected by the Barcelona goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen.

But referee Anthony Taylor spotted Clément Lenglet’s hack at Mauro Icardi and pointed to the penalty spot. 

Kylian Mbappé, who scored a hat trick in the first leg, thrashed the kick high to the right of Ter Stegen to open the scoring and become at 22 years and 80 days, the youngest player to score 25 goals in the competition.

22 - Kylian Mbappé (22 ans et 80 jours) est devenu le plus jeune joueur à inscrire 25 buts en Ligue des Champions, détrônant Lionel Messi qui y était parvenu à 22 ans et 286 jours. Géant. #PSGFCB pic.twitter.com/YrFBjPgeuf

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) March 10, 2021

The player he usurped for the accolade, Lionel Messi, levelled the score seven minutes later with a sumptuous strike from 25 metres that humiliated PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

But on the stroke of half-time, Navas gained his revenge by parrying Messi’s spot kick. 

Barcelona laboured after the pause to find a way back into the tie. But a combination of poor finishing and more heroics from Navas kept the sides at parity.

In the night’s other match, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané scored Liverpool's goals in their 2-0 win over RB Leipzig to progress to the last eight 4-0 on aggregate.