PSG and Barcelona players involved in post-match brawl following Kylian Mbappe's comment: Reports
Players from both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) were reportedly involved in a brawl after their match in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday (April 16), due to Kylian Mbappe's comments.
It was a rather tense affair at the Olimpic Lluis Companys, as referee Istvan Kovacs showed three red cards on the night.
Firstly, Ronald Araujo picked up a straight red card after a needless foul just outside the box on Bradley Barcola, who had a goalscoring chance. The game soon unraveled after that for Barca, with manager Xavi Hernandez eventually being sent off after reacting angrily to a decision.
The third red card went to Barca's goalkeeping coach Jose Ramon de la Fuente, as the Parisians continued their onslaught and overturned the deficit to win the game.
However, it seems as though tempers boiled even after the match had ended, with Mundo Deportivo (via Barca Blaugranes) reporting a brawl. Apparently, as Kylian Mbappe entered the dressing room after leaving the pitch, he shouted - using Spanish - within earshot of the Barcelona players:
“This is football and it is on the pitch where we have to talk.”
This was said to have caused a serious reaction from the hosts, who reportedly went for Mbappe, 'exchanging insults, shouts and shoving' but with no physical damage.
It is believed that up to 60 people were in the midst of the brawl, which may also have been connected to Kylian Mbappe reportedly provoking the home fans.
How PSG beat Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals
The Blaugrana left the Parc des Princes in high spirits as they secured a 3-2 win in the first leg of the tie. However, the return leg in Catalonia went in a different direction, as Barcelona could not keep PSG from seeing them off in style.
Raphinha scored first for the Blaugrana, impressing the home fans with an early opener to put the hosts in the right frame of mind to see off the game. However, things went haywire for them after Ronaldo Araujo was sent off right before 30 minutes.
Ousmane Dembele scored the leveler after the red card and right before the half-time break. Things went from bad to worse for Barca in the second half, as their manager and goalkeeping coach had to leave the pitch due to their red cards.
Vitinha scored a goal from long range to put both sides at par on aggregate, but it wasn't long before Kylian Mbappe scored a penalty to put PSG ahead. With Barcelona floundering and the Parisians waiting for their chances, Mbappe scored a second goal to seal the hosts' fate.
Barca could do little else, especially with ten men on the pitch, and eventually, they conceded defeat and the French giants went home with a spot in the Champions League semi-finals.