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PSG hammer lacklustre Barça in 4-0 debacle

Paris Saint Germain secured a stunning 4-0 win against Barcelona in their Champions League last 16 first leg on Tuesday. The defeat means the Catalans now need a miracle to make it into the quarter-finals.

Paris Saint-Germain's Angel Di Maria celebrates scoring their first goal in the Champions League
Paris Saint-Germain's Angel Di Maria celebrates scoring their first goal in the Champions League Reuters / Christian Hartmann Livepic
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The French champions wasted no time in laying into Barcelona, with Angel Di Maria opening the scoring board with a superb free kick over the wall and into the net on 18 minutes.

The Argentinian then banged in an even better strike in the second, making his birthday a night to remember.

"We could not have imagined a better evening. To win 4-0 against Barcelona on my birthday is incredible," Di Maria told beIN Sports.

"It was the perfect match. But to go through we will need to play like this again because they are also capable of scoring four goals."

Strikes by Julian Draxler and Edinson Cavani culminated Paris Saint Germain's dazzling display.

PSG's high tempo performance left the Catalans stunned from the start, and even hard-hitters Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, were powerless to fight back.

"Our opponents outplayed us from the beginning, as soon as the game began," coach Luis Enrique told reporters after the match.

The scoreline matched Barcelona's worst ever Champions League defeat and leaves the Spanish side in danger of failing to reach the quarter finals.

"There are two games and even if the situation is difficult now, there is still a half left to play and we'll play at home," Enrique insists.

"We have to score four goals, maybe even five to win, but I'm saying it's a game, we still believe it is possible."

Unai Emery's men though, will be looking to finish the job when the teams reconvene for the second leg at the Nou Camp on March 8.

"We proved something today," Emery told reporters. "But I keep on paying the same respect to Barcelona, and the message in the dressing room and to the squad is clear: we still have 90 minutes to go, we know we will suffer in Barcelona, and we know it will be a long 90 minutes."

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