Brilliant Mbappe scores three as PSG outclass Barcelona 4-1
Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe scored a spectacular hat-trick as his area overcame the lack of Neymar to thrash Barcelona 4-1 away within their Champions League previous-16 first leg on Tuesday to move within full viewpoint of the quarter-finals.
Lionel Messi had blasted Barca ahead with a good penalty in the first half but Mbappe pulled the French champions level with a classy little bit of control and finishing to complete a good flowing team approach also involving Marco Verratti and Layvin Kurzawa.
Mbappe, who had not scored found in the Champions Group knockouts for just two years before Tuesday, smashed PSG in to the lead found in the 65th minute even while Moise Kean took advantage of some woeful Barca marking to mind in a third target for the visitors found in the 70th.
The insatiable Mbappe seemed hungry for more though and after getting denied his third goal by Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, he completed his treble in the 85th minute by curling the ball at night German in to the top corner.
Barca overcame a 4-0 defeat to PSG in a last-16 first leg found in 2017 by winning the next leg in the home 6-1 and the Catalans now encounter another daunting task found in turning this tie around when they go to the Parc des Princes on March 10.
Barcelona went into the game crowing from a function of seven La Liga wins in a row but, while these were boosted by the come back of serial winner Gerard Pique found in defence after practically three months out, they were impressed by Mauricio Pochettino's part.
Mauro Icardi should have given previous year's runners-up the business lead when he strolled through on goal but the Argentine scuffed his shot and Barca's teenage midfielder Pedri recovered to clear.
Barca then got a lucky break when Frenkie de Jong was accidentally tripped by Layvin Kurzawa and Messi smashed his penalty beyond former True Madrid keeper Keylor Navas to rating a fourth target in this season's competition, all from spot-kicks.
PSG responded emphatically with their classy workforce goal after 32 minutes and really should have gone forward prior to the break when Kurzawa was thwarted by a good fingertip conserve from Ter Stegen and Icardi headed merely wide from a part.
Barca had their moments too, Antoine Griezmann showing exceptional pace to sprint towards target from the halfway brand but landing his shot just wide of the much post.
The next half belonged to PSG though, no player symbolised their confidence much better than the resplendent Mbappe, who became the first player to score a visiting hat-trick at the Camp Nou since Andriy Shevchenko in 1997.
