Champions League QF: Barcelona too strong for PSG
BARCELONA 3-1 PARIS ST GERMAIN
Barcelona took a big step towards the Champions League semi-finals with a resounding 3-1 victory over Paris St Germain (PSG) in the quarter-final first leg match.
Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi combined to set up Neymar for a Barca's slick 18th minute opener, and Luis Suarez added two brilliant strikes in the second half to seemingly seal matters.
While PSG was given a glimmer of hope after Gregory van der Wiel's effort was deflected past Barca's goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen to give them some hope late on, but Laurent Blanc's side have it all to do in next Wednesday's (April 22) second leg at the Nou Camp.
Barca's opening goal came after a swift break culminated in Messi playing a neat pass to Neymar, who took a touch to steady himself and then slotted calmly past Sirigu.
David Luiz made a surprise appearance from the bench in the 21st minute after his Brazil team-mate Thiago Silva sustained an injury.
Blanc had said on April 7 that Luiz was likely to face four weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring problem.
Luiz was dispossessed by Suarez three minutes before half-time on the left side of the PSG box, but Sirigu spared the centre-back's blushes.
Pastore warmed the gloves of Ter Stegen with a long-range attempt at the start of the second half, but the Barcelona goalkeeper was not unduly troubled.
PSG, without the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimovic, were struggling to test the Catalan giants, and found themselves two goals down midway through the second half thanks to Suarez's virtuoso effort.
The Uruguay frontman received the ball on the right, cut inside Luiz, held off Marquinhos and Maxwell and then beat Sirigu at his near post, the PSG keeper getting his left hand to the ball but unable to prevent it nestling in the bottom-right corner.
Messi then almost added a magical third 17 minutes from time with a typically mazy run to the edge of the box, but for once was let down by a wayward finish.
Barca's third goal did arrive in the 79th minute, Suarez nutmegging Luiz to race free and despatching a superb curling shot beyond a stunned Sirigu.
The home fans had something to cheer about three minutes later when Jordi Alba's defensive header was blasted straight back into the danger area by Van der Wiel, with Mathieu's intervention sending it past a helpless Ter Stegen.
PSG could have reduced the arrears further soon after but Adriano's presence did enough to put off Pastore and Cavani's shot was well blocked by a sliding Mathieu.
Source: PA Sport
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