Champions League Recap

The thrills and spills continued on Wednesday.

The headline acts of the Champions League quarter-finals may have delivered in style on Tuesday, but the supporting cast certainly stepped up too a day later.

Barcelona claimed a 3-2 win in the first leg of their tie against Paris Saint-Germain, meaning they head back to Catalonia with a slender advantage.

Another of LaLiga’s giants will also go into next week’s games with the lead, after Atletico Madrid overcame Borussia Dortmund 2-1.

Raphinha starred for Barcelona (Credit: Instagram - @fcbarcelona)

Here’s the full recap.

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RAPHINHA STARS IN PARIS THRILLER

Raphinha scored twice as Barca got the better of their old boss Luis Enrique at the Parc des Princes.

PSG looked on course for victory when Vitinha put them 2-1 up just three minutes after Ousmane Dembele had lashed in against his old team, cancelling out Raphinha’s first-half opener.

But having scored his first Champions League goal, the Brazil international doubled his tally with a fantastic volley from Pedri’s exquisite lofted pass.

And Barca, who had been let off when Bradley Barcola struck the crossbar, ensured they would hold the aggregate advantage when Andreas Christensen rose up to head home from Ilkay Gundogan’s corner — Gianluigi Donnarumma having stayed on his line rather than come and challenge for the ball.

Kylian Mbappe was kept, unusually, quiet, and will hope to make a bigger impact next week.

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WHAT WAS SAID

Xavi to TNT Sports

“We have to be proud,. With [Pau] Cubarsi, 17, Lamine [Yamal], 16, Fermin is a player from La Masia also and they have more commitment with the team, so I’m very happy because it’s a new Barca and we are in a good way I think.

“It’s a big win of course, playing away in the Champions League. We did really well in defence and attack but especially in defence. Everybody worked for the team and tactically we did really well.

“The wingers helped us a lot. Cubarsi jumped so well, first against Kang-In Lee, sometimes to Asensio because they changed a lot of players. We defended so well against [Kylian] Mbappe with Jules Kounde and Ronald Araujo and we created many chances. I think Robert [Lewandowski] made a difference, Raphinha, and then the players that came inside really helped us a lot, especially Pedri. I’m very happy and very proud of the team. It’s just a small advantage but it’s a big win.”

Scouted: Pau Cubarsi

Luis Enrique to TNT Sports

“It was a pity, really a pity. We started the match properly in a good mood, but after we conceded the goal it was a little disappointing. But we recovered, we could have scored a third goal. We created chances. It’s a result that’s a pity but we have the spirit to go to Barcelona and try to win.”