The ESPN FC crew put the Champions League round of 16 result in perspective for Barcelona and PSG.

It was a night to anyone associated with Barcelona will remember forever, and a game that truly made no sense. The thought of Luis Enrique's side sneaking through into the Champions League quarterfinals seemed impossible after their horror 4-0 defeat at the Parc des Princes and it still looked implausible even when Luis Suarez headed them in front against PSG in the second minute of the second leg. Edinson Cavani's volley to make it 3-1 looked to have ruined Barca's hopes and people started to walk out of the Camp Nou as the team began to wilt. However, spurred on by the faith and flair of Neymar, the hosts defied history and some very long odds to reach the last eight.

Positives

After this logic-defying comeback, Barca will never be able to say they are beaten after a first-leg defeat. The way in which a team that has often flattered to deceive this season clawed their way back into the tie will surely give them extra belief to stay ahead of Real Madrid in the La Liga title race. And after hitting one of Europe's top sides for six, who in Europe would want to play Barca now?

Negatives

Sergio Busquets is suspended for the first leg of the quarterfinal tie and Ivan Rakitic, Neymar, Suarez and Gerard Pique all picked up bookings that could come back to haunt them later in the competition. While it seems absurd to say after a night like this, there is a danger Barca might take a couple of days to get focused on Sunday's trip to Deportivo La Coruna.

Manager rating out of 10

10 - Luis Enrique berated a journalist from Catalan station TV3 after the Paris debacle for not showing him respect when the team win, so it is only fair to give the departing coach the credit for this stunning turnaround. The manager set the tone for the comeback in a brilliant news conference the day before, declaring with all seriousness that as PSG scored four in Paris, Barca could score six at the Camp Nou. His tactics were spot on, making a brave decision in dropping both of his established full-backs and sticking with the 3-4-3 formation which the team have only played for the last fortnight. He also had the courage to remove an ineffective Andres Iniesta and his decision to bring on Sergi Roberto proved a stroke of genius, whether he expected him to score the vital goal or not.

GK Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 7 -- Made a vital save with his legs to deny Edinson Cavani after the goal which would end up taking Barca through. Couldn't do much about the Uruguayan's leathered volley.

DF Javier Mascherano, 8 -- Gave a spirited performance on the right of the back three, intimidating any PSG player who came near him and was the symbol of Barca's self belief.

DF Gerard Pique, 6 -- Looked a bit uneasy when he delivered a wild challenge on Cavani early on, but regained his composure later in the game even if this was not his most fluid display.

DF Samuel Umtiti, 8 -- Had a brilliant performance, making a series of vital blocks, beginning with a perfectly timed sliding tackle on Cavani in the first half, and kept providing key balls out to the midfield.

MF Rafinha, 7 -- A surprise inclusion in the starting lineup and did an admirable job shuttling between defence and attack, stealing the ball calmly from the feet of Julian Draxler in the second half as the German shaped to shoot in the area.

MF Ivan Rakitic, 7 -- Had a huge impact defensively, running himself into the ground.

MF Sergio Busquets, 7 -- Made a couple of stray passes but also kept order to Barca's play and kept the game flowing with patient play, admirable in the circumstances.

MF Andres Iniesta, 6 -- Struggled to pull Barca's strings as he has done so often in the past and had a periphery role although his tenacity to muscle past Marquinhos led to the own goal.

FW Lionel Messi 7 -- Bizarrely did not have the night many expected him to have and was upstaged by Neymar's livewire display. It was telling of his night that having scored from the spot already he left penalty taking duties to the Brazilian.

FW Luis Suarez, 7 -- Lifted the Camp Nou early on with his opportunistic header past the hapless Kevin Trapp but faded afterwards.

FW Neymar, 10 -- Was the only one to truly believe the comeback was still on after Cavani's strike and his combination of skill and guile pulled Barca through, from winning the penalty, which Messi converted, to his perfectly weighted free kick and calmly taken spot-kick .

Substitutes

MF Arda Turan NR (for Iniesta), 7 -- Was an improvement on the tired Iniesta and gave Barca an extra spark, coming close to scoring.

MF Sergi Roberto, NR (for Rafinha) -- Had done little up until the goal, but all it took was clever anticipation from Neymar's lofted ball to write himself into Barca folklore.

MF Andre Gomes, NR (for Rakitic) -- Had little tangible effect but was on the pitch for the final goal glut.

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by RICHARD MARTIN

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