The Year is 2017, 14th of February FC Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain meet in the Champions League round of 16 at the Parc des Princes. Barca enters this match as the favourites to win and PSG as the underdogs. PSG had qualified for the last 16, 2nd in their table just behind Arsenal. Barcelona had dominated their group finishing 1st ahead of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Unai Emery sets his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and Luis Enrique with the standard 4-3-3.
The Horrors at Paris
In the 16th minute, Angel Di Maria gets a free kick just outside the box which he buries into the top corner of Ter Stegen’s goal. The shock for Barca doesn’t end there as with 5 minutes before half time Lionel Messi gives the ball away near the half line which PSG through a quick counter release for Draxler who fires it in doubling his side’s lead. Barca comes into the 2nd half in hopes to reduce the deficit but Unai Emery’s side had other plans.
After just 10 minutes of the start of the 2nd half Angel Di Maria cuts in towards the center and scores another top corner goal making it 3-0 against Barca. In the 72nd minute, Edison Cavani gets his goal and the match ends in a 4-0 victory for Paris Saint Germain.
Watching a hero fall
The newspaper’s back at Spain and all throughout Europe did not go easy on the Blaugrana. The match is labeled as a disasterclass by the media. The one who felt the heat the most was Lionel Messi as people even started asking does Lionel Messi even bring something to this team anymore, as this match was one of the worst performances by him that season.
1% chance 99% faith
As time goes on the footballing world accepts that Barcelona are now out of the Champions League, as no team in the tournament’s history had ever come back from a 4-0 deficit in the second leg. Before the second leg statements from Pique, Neymar and Luis Enrique come out claiming they still have hopes of going through to the next round. Enrique says “If they can score 4 we can score 6” and Neymar posts that infamous quote:
8th March 2017 the second leg arrives and the Camp Nou is filled to the brim with more than 96000 roaring fans. The fans hold up a large banner “Tots Amb L’Equip” (Everyone with the team). Barca enters this match with the mission unthinkable.
La Remontada
PSG do not make any significant changes in their lineup apart from Lucas Mora starting instead of Di Maria. Luis Enrique completely transforms his lineup by removing his full-backs and introducing two extra midfielders with Messi playing as an attacking midfielder and Rafinha taking his spot on the right wing. The winger instantly impacts the game as he whips in a cross which Luis Suarez heads into the net with an awkward finish. The Camp Nou erupts in hopes of a comeback but becomes quiet when no other goal comes till the 40th minute despite creating ample chances. In the 40th minute, Andres Iniesta does something quite magical, attempting a backheel pass inside the box the ball bounces off Layvin Kurzawa’s leg and into the net.
First half ends the team and fans are motivated. The second half starts with Barca’s task to score at least 2 more goals so they can push the game to extra time. Just under 5 minutes before the start of the second half Iniesta plays a through ball for Neymar, in struggles to stop him the PSG player Meunier falls over and in the process trips Neymar inside the box. Barcelona gets a penalty which Leo Messi buries and they get just 1 away from the tie. The Camp Nou and the players alike believe they can turn this fixture around now but during this unthinkable game, something Unthinkable happens.
Edison Cavani comes very close to scoring just 5 minutes after Messi’s goal and PSG switches into an attacking mode. At the 61st minute, Cavani does what every Culer was afraid of, he scores from a cut back and the score is now 5-3 on aggregate giving PSG an away goal advantage. Barcelona must score 3 goals now if they want to go through to the next round.
Heads dropped after that goal but the no.1 of Barca Ter Stegen pushed his players to believe still and told them to play higher up the pitch and not to worry about the goal. “We are Barcelona we never die. We will win we will win” he shouted. In the 88th minute, Barca gets a freekick and Neymar scores a beautiful goal but everyone thinks it is surely too late. Just 2 minutes after that Leo Messi plays a long ball to Luis Suarez who goes down in the penalty box. This time up steps Neymar to score the penalty and the aggregate becomes 5-5 but PSG is still going through by the away goal rule.
There are just two minutes left to the final whistle. Barca gets a freekick, which Neymar Jr. takes, and it gets rebounded back to him. He dribbles past a player and chips it into the box. Sergi Roberto writes his name in the FC Barcelona Legends book and scores. The Camp Nou erupts with screams of unbelievable joy and ecstasy. The football world is shocked as Barcelona pulls off the unthinkable by making the greatest Champions League comeback of all time.
