if anyone who doubted or questioned Barcelona’s smallest margin of chance in producing a magical flame of turning their first leg 4-0 defeat against PSG at home would be considered as nearly a dream to happen, then the outcome should have dramatized a real challenge in which this game is a magic itself. Barca produced the greatest return in the history of European competition when destroying the French side with a sensational 6-1 win. Luis Enrique’s men dominated the tempo of the match from the very early seconds to the dying extra moments to navigate the most unimaginable birth of enthusiasm, motivation and dedication from the pre-match darkest expectations and left no air for the Parisian to breath at all. two minutes into the game the first wave of attack brought in the opener when Suarez timely involvement to flick a nice header following a tight challenge mid air over Neymar’s cross passed the line and signaled the upcoming nightmare for PSG dismantled back line on the night. with rotating quick off the ball exchanging runs, committing to generate dazzling interaction of neat short touches in the midfield engineered by Rakitic and Sergi Robert in deep holding zone, the vital factor of mobility and precision rapidly offered Spaniards far more comfortable possession and the second goal was their reward. Neymar started a build up from midfield that was combined with Suarez’s short link up play to Iniesta as he sprinting forward to expose his markers before his attempted back hill pass deflected off the Kurzawa’s poor clearance and found the back of the net, they pressed with more eagerness and disjointed French side’s midfield from their attack entirely easy with increased possession and third goal came in the second half. Iniesta hooked a wide play to his feet before slicing a precise short ball inside two defenders which trapped Meunier to lose tracking Neymar by losing his balance that suddenly blocked Neymar’s run into the ground and the Penalty kick was ordered. Messi calmly converted from the spot to shift the edge of raiser on the neck of opponent and relived their hopes. but visitors had finally switched the gear in attack when Meunier flying high on the right to beat Rafinha’s challenge with a fine skill to send his wide pass that Cavani only managed getting to the end and hitting the post; much to their rising anticipation they inspired that vital away goal at the most heated edge of game’s momentum changing and expectedly Cavani proved to be their main inspiration yet again. Marco Veratti dinked a fine halfway line set piece over defense that had Layvin Kurzawa to beat Pique’s pressure while flicking a cool header to set up Cavani and Uruguayan timed his run to smack a brilliant half volley with outside of his right foot that squeezed underside of the crossbar. the goal seemed enough to rescue Parisians, but only less than minutes Barcelona has boosted extra confident and energy to amplify one of the most entertaining performances in this European history. first Neymar bend his incredible inswing free kick from left side that perfectly found the far corner, his pace and accuracy was truly amazing. then another controversial penalty kick offered the host to score the fifth. Messi’s pint point cross deep into PSG box seen Suarez fallen under Rafinha’s challenge and suspiciously another Penalty was given to Barcelona and Neymar easily put it at the back of the net; the scene became the paradise of magical sprinkles like those movie stories with king worshiping god to empower him winning the battle and it actually proved to be the dream Barca aimed to achieve. their super determined waves of attacks in dying seconds from both sides of flanks even forced Ter Stegen to involve winning ball in the midfield and it finally came. PSG defense desperately cleared a cross that was hooked into Neymar’s path, he looked up, switching to his left gear before dinking a precise pass over the entire defense line and Sergi Roberto perfectly smash his diving striker into the top corner and sent Barcelona into the quarter final.
Verdict: Luis Enrique announced his departure from the club two nights before this do or die battle and that statement psychologically seemingly has rejuvenated team’s internal ambition and they produced an incredible form of superbly collective fighting spirit, committed work ethic to eradicate defensive lapses with enhanced level of concentration and simplified midfield play and producing an incredible technical vision to dominate all the aspects of the dual and entirely denying Parisians to possible reactions. their midfield indicated visible balance and cohesion to instigate a supposedly complex challenge of maintaining press to disjoint PSG midfield that seen Cavani being easily limited from switching positions with Di Maria and Drexler to form quick counters, while the formidable rotating shape of Rakitic, Roberto and then Turan when deployed into central playmaking role in partnership with Iniesta practically transpired the most fluid and precise passing build ups, interchanging rhythmic transitions of attacking play by generating initial off the run spaces to control deeper possession with aim to dictate a vital mobility and speed for midfield to interact with Messi and Neymar to split the press, extending continuity to their short play and igniting exciting tempo to create and sharply penetrating vital spaces against PSG’s dismantled back line forces constantly. Barcelona eagerly simplified their tactical dimension to prevent visitor’s attacking capability between the lines that favored them a superior possession and comfort zone to attack into final third with more freedom, willingly they adapted to consider more productive tactical vision that appeared very essential to create chances; switching to play over the flaks with far consistency offered wing backs pace and energy to push high sparking fine overlaps with wide strikers Neymar and Suarez as Iniesta pushing into advance central spaces, generating spontaneous short combinations with front men as Messi swiftly shifting out to anticipate change of pace and drifting inside to create neat interchanges in the form of three lying creators and even four passers jointed by Turan and Roberto coming behind Suarez ultimately indicated a tactical clarity, purpose and simplicity to their possession approach, while amplified a productive transparency to their extra pressure defined by the obligation of imposing reliable defensive pressing that appeared very essential to concede at home and further igniting an extraordinary offensive strategy and dynamic vision both in reliance of MSN individual genius and playmaking casts and factor of collectivism to achieve the mission impossible and indeed they triumphed. the rising criticism over their overall performances, intensified various challenges such as team selection, future contracts, the direction of club’s main projects and perhaps dealing with possible transitions of post golden generation have targeted club’s environment constantly during last few seasons that essentially has suggested the seriousness of problems this Barca team would experience on one side of the coin; but equally plenty of aspirational features seem to identify as series of sensational privileges on the end side of spectrum; the masterful and glorious legacy of golden generation has inspired their younger predecessors to produce an ultimately enthusiastic vision, a brilliantly defined winning mentality, fueling passion and element of optimism to lead the way in carrying the symbolic narratives inspired by trophy-laden and beautiful history of this football club in the future and Roberto, Rafinha and Denis Suareze are the prime example of this proof. PSG might have seen their long aspiration of winning European glory remained as faded and shattered after this nightmare that will be remembered for many years; yet they acknowledged one main fact behind their shocking moments; they had witnessed a visible gap between world’s primary successful and elite clubs and themselves which was reminded strongly the entire night. they lacked a much identified deft, pedigree and sheer experience to secure their lead that surely was enough to book their passage, but they perceived the reality of success and failure in the most disastrous fashion ever; their journey to become European king will be way longer than expectation.
