Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain stuns shorthanded Barcelona; Dortmund rallies past Madrid – MASHAHER

Barcelona was in full control of its Champions League match with Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

Then a first-half red card changed everything. PSG rallied from a 1-0 hole and a 4-2 aggregate deficit with four unanswered goals against shorthanded Barcelona to secure a 4-1 win. It advances to the Champions League semifinals round thanks to a 6-4 aggregate advantage.

There, PSG will face a Borussia Dortmund team that survived an own goal on Tuesday to rally past Atlético Madrid, 4-2 (5-4 aggregate).

Barcelona entered Tuesday’s game with a one-goal advantage after winning the first leg of the quarterfinal, 3-2. Twelve minutes in, it doubled its advantage with a Raphinha goal past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Then the tone of the game shifted on a red card.

Around the 29-minute mark, PSG’s Bradley Barcola broke free for a scoring chance after a Barcelona turnover at midfield. Barcelona’s Ronald Araújo chased Barcola down and pulled him to the turf from behind by his right shoulder at the edge of the penalty box.

The referee whistled a penalty. Officials determined that contact took place just outside the box and awarded PSG a free kick instead of a penalty kick. But they issued a red card to Araújo, leading to his ejection. Barcelona would play the last 60 minutes of the game a man down.

PSG took full advantage.

Ousmane Dembélé’s ensuing free kick sailed over the top of the net. But he would find the back of the net 10 minutes later against his shorthanded opponent. At the 39-minute mark, Dembélé sent in a one-timer from the right side of the net on a cross from Barcola, tying the game at 1-1 and cutting Barcelona’s aggregate lead to to 4-3.

It was the second goal of the quarterfinal against his former team after Dembélé tied the first leg at 1-1.

PSG kept the pressure on from the start of the second half. Fabián Ruiz just missed the right side of the goal on a shot from the penalty box at the 52-minute mark. But Vitinha scored moments later, sneaking the ball past goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen from just outside the penalty box.

The goal gave PSG a 2-1 lead and tied the aggregate score at 4-4. Then another penalty doomed Barcelona.

João Cancelo challenged Dembélé on the right side of the penalty box at the 58-minute mark. He tripped Dembélé, sending him flailing to the turf, drawing another penalty.

This time, the penalty clearly took place inside the box. PSG was awarded a penalty kick that Kylian Mbappé sent into the left side of the net past ter Stegen.

The goal gave PSG a 3-1 lead. After trailing the aggregate score, 4-2 in the game’s opening minutes, PSG had taken a 5-4 lead.

Mbappé went on to add an insurance goal at the 89-minute mark, putting the game of out reach for Barcelona. When it was done, PSG had stunned a Barcelona team that appeared early Tuesday well on its way to the semifinals.