UEFA Champions League 2016/17: Barcelona 6-1 Paris Saint-Germain (6-5 agg.), Player Ratings
History was made at Nou Camp as Barcelona became the first team to proceed to the next stage of the Champions League after losing the first leg 4-0. This was the mother of all comebacks. A miracle was performed in the second leg as Barcelona went on to win the match 6-1 and emerged victorious 6-5 on aggregate.
Luis Suarez opened the scoring for the hosts before a Layvin Kurzawa own goal made it to 2-0 to Barcelona at half time. Lionel Messi made it three from the spot but Edinson Cavani scored a crucial away goal which was thought to be enough to take the Parisians home.
Then a Barcelona blitzkrieg happened which saw Neymar score two goals in quick succession before Sergi Roberto scored the winner with seconds to go and send the home side into euphoria.
Let's take a look at the player ratings for one of the matches of the season that took place between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain:
Barcelona
Marc-Andre ter Stegen - 6/10
ter Stegen was brilliant on the night as he stopped the Parisians from running away with the game, courtesy of his stunning save in a one on one situation against Edinson Cavani when the score was in a critical situation of 3-1. He was confident with the ball at his feet and always chose the right option in starting the attack.
Javier Mascherano - 6.5/10
The Argentina showed his experience while defending and also joined in the attack. He was an ever-present option for Rafinha to pass back and not disrupt the tempo of the game. Playing as a right-sided defender, he was given the responsibility of handling Julian Draxler and Mascherano did that with the utmost composure.
Gerrard Pique - 5.5/10
Pique was calm at times in possession but committed some unnecessary fouls which saw him getting booked in the first half. He was lucky not to receive a second yellow in the second half but on the other hand, provided a great option aerially in the set pieces.
Samuel Umtiti - 7/10
The Frenchman was undoubtedly the best defender on the night. He cleared any potential danger and also made some crucial interceptions which helped Barcelona keep the ball for longer durations. The home side's ploy to press PSG high up the pitch paid dividends due to the commitment shown by all the three centre backs.
Rafinha - 5.5/10
The youngster put in a good shift but failed to provide one decent final ball in the entire match. Playing on the right wing, he found it tough when he had to put in crosses from his weaker right foot and also gave away the possession on a number of occasions.
Ivan Rakitic - 6.5/10
Rakitic was at his usual best in the centre of the park and looked eager to play his part in Barcelona’s comeback. It was a performance full of energy by the Croatian who recovered the ball on a number of occasions and also linked up well to maintain the tempo of the game.
Sergio Busquets - 6.5/10
Busquets has turned the corner on his faltering season in recent weeks and delivered yet another brilliant performance. He read the very few PSG attacks quickly and responded. He took in great positions when not on the ball and helped Barcelona to maintain their shape.
Andres Iniesta - 6/10
The captain faded after the break but was at his best in the first 45 minutes. It was his brilliant pursuit which led to a mistake from Veratti and then he performed a brilliant back heel to force Kurzawa in scoring an own goal.
Lionel Messi - 7/10
Messi was not at his usual best but got on the scoresheet with a well-taken penalty. He let Neymar take the 90th-minute penalty which showed his selflessness. PSG’s defenders tried everything, from pulling his shirt to fouling him, which made it difficult for the Argentina to operate freely.
Luis Suarez - 7/10
Though he scored a quick fire goal to set the ball rolling, Suarez looked frustrated at times and often was seen arguing with the referee on relatively small issues. His simulation led to him earning a yellow card which but he did gain some brownie points for winning the penalty for the fifth goal.
Neymar - 9/10
Neymar was exceptional on the night as he scored two set pieces and also provided an assist for Roberto's winner. He did all that in a matter of 7 minutes. Neymar was easily the player of the match over two legs. He also attempted 4 take ons and 6 shots in the 90 minutes of the second leg against PSG.
Substitutions
Arda Turan - 7/10
Turan made an immediate impact after coming on and had a chance cleared off the line by a diving Parisian defender. He drifted inside well throughout his second half cameo.
Sergi Roberto - 8/10
Probably his most crucial moment in his career with the club. Roberto scored after 18 months for Barcelona and he could not have chosen a better time to end the drought. A well-placed finish in the 95th minute saw the home side win an ultimately impossible tie.
Andre Gomes - 6/10
The Portuguese was brought on very late in the game to increase the number of bodies in midfield.
Paris Saint-Germain
Kevin Trapp - 4/10
Trapp looked nervous right from the first whistle which was evident when he hesitated to come off his line to stop Luis Suarez from scoring the first goal. He also could have done better for the second goal where his touch might have put off Kurzawa from his decision.
Thomas Meunier - 4.5/10
The Belgian provided a couple of decent crosses into the box but failed to provide enough cover on the right flank. Neymar beat him at will on occasions and Meunier also conceded a penalty which might have been harsh on him.
Marquinhos - 4.5/10
Marquinhos made some schoolboy errors in the game like the fault that led to the second goal where he could have cleared the ball easily but chose to take a risk. He would have felt hard done by after conceding a penalty for a soft touch on Luis Suarez.
Thiago Silva - 5.5/10
The PSG captain was good in the air but failed to adjust to the pace of the game. His fouls from behind on Luis Suarez were avoidable and was lucky not to receive a warning.
Layvin Kurzawa - 5/10
The talented full-back made a hasty clearance which resulted in an own goal for Barcelona which could have been easily avoided. Kurzawa provided an assist for Cavani but failed to do his defensive duties well.
Blaise Matuidi - 5/10
This might be one of the very few occasions where Matuidi was given a complete defensive role. The midfielder likes to surge forward but was told to stay behind but he could not do that because of Barcelona's incessant pressures. His continuous arguing with the opponents did not make matters easy for Matuidi.
Adrien Rabiot - 4.5/10
If Rabiot was world class in the first leg, he was equally disappointing in the second. He brought on unnecessary pressure on himself and gave away the ball far too easily. He also could not keep Messi quiet by closely marking him well. A cynical foul in the first half led to his booking.
Lucas Moura - 4.5/10
A match to forget for the Brazilian as he failed to get much opportunity to showcase his speed and finishing attributes. It was a frustrating night for the Samba him and was rightly substituted soon in the second half.
Marco Veratti - 5/10
The Italian hardly has a bad game but at the Nou Camp, it was an exception. Veratti was under immense pressure and succumbed to that on a number of times. He committed a silly error in the buildup to the second goal and also could not do his bit when PSG were on top in some periods of the second half.
Julian Draxler - 4/10
The January signing was given defensive duties to track back and sit tight with his defence line which meant that he had little to offer offensively. He had a penalty shout rejected when Javier Mascherano looked to have handled the ball in the penalty area in the first half.
Edinson Cavani - 7.5/10
The Uruguayan scored a beautiful goal to give his side hope but later missed a glorious opportunity in a one on one chance against Ter Stegen.
Substitutions
Angel Di Maria - 5.5/10
A quiet evening for the substitute who had just one shot on the target and had to be satisfied with a mellowed down performance from the previous leg.
Serge Aurier - 5/10
The full-back was brought on to see out the game for Paris Saint-Germain but he failed to do his job well as the visitors conceded two more goals after his arrival.
Grzegorz Krychowiak - 5/10
The former Sevilla man was brought to waste time but as soon as he arrived, Barcelona scored the winner as the substitution made no impact on the game.