Kylian Mbappe produced a “spectacular” pressing performance alongside Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele as Paris St-Germain recovered to win 4-1 at Barcelona and reach the Uefa Champions League semi-finals, manager Luis Enrique has said.
Raphinha’s early goal made it 4-2 on aggregate to Barca in the second leg of the last-eight tie, but Paris punished their opponents after Ronald Araujo was sent off later in the first half, equalising on the night through Dembele and on aggregate courtesy of a Vitinha strike which was the pick of the goals.
Mbappe put them ahead in the tie from the penalty spot in the 61st minute and fired in another with seconds of normal time remaining.
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“Go and look back at the pressing of my team, go and look back at the pressing which Kylian produced,” Enrique urged.
“He was the team leader in that. I take my hat off to him. We were superb in the pressing – Barcola, Kylian and Ousmane were spectacular and they allowed us to play where we wanted to.
“I analysed the first leg in depth and I was even more convinced that we hadn’t deserved to lose.
“Once we went one down today, the players kept their confidence and kept doing the right things.”
Mbappe Champions League goals
France captain Mbappe scored his first goals of the tie and now has 48 goals in 71 Champions League appearances.
In his final season at the club, Mbappe will reach the final of the competition if PSG beat Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals.
“He was a leader from start to finish,” said Enrique. “And when a team senses that a player as important as him is ready to bring everyone with him, you make the most of it.
“I’d like to speak about Vitinha, too: he battles, he has the quality in his final ball. Dembele was superb as well, even if it was difficult for him to play here too.”
Dembele spent six years at Barca before joining PSG in 2023, while Enrique played for them between 1996 and 2004 and won the 2014/15 Champions League during a three-year spell as manager.
