Ivan Rakitic ‘cannot believe’ Barcelona’s ‘crazy’ Champions League comeback v PSG
Barcelona claimed a scarcely believable Champions League victory against Paris Saint-Germain that will go down in history as one of the all-time great comebacks, Sergi Roberto netting in the fifth minute of stoppage time to seal a sensational 6-5 aggregate triumph after they had trailed 4-0.
Meanwhile, Rafinha started for Barcelona in a 3-4-3 formation with the hosts looking to become the first team ever to go through in a Champions League knockout tie after losing 4-0 in the first leg.
Needing three goals in the final minutes of the game, they delivered to snatch a 6-1 (6-5 on aggregate) win to advance to the quarter-finals.
But two goals from Neymar in three minutes – one from a penalty – brought the Spanish giants level before Roberto stabbed the victor in from close range.
“In 95 minutes anything can happen”.
With two minutes left, Neymar curled the flawless free-kick past Trapp to make it 4-1 on the night.
Individually Barca possess numerous world’s best players, but as a team they find themselves in a tricky situation.
Super Stat: Prior to their monumental 4-0 win over Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain had beaten the Catalans only once in seven meetings!
Neymar converted on the penalty try to draw Barcelona level, but still needing another goal, Barcelona’s Sergi Roberto found net in the final seconds.
Luis Suarez, 29, kicked off this history-making comeback two minutes into the game, securing the first goal.
“We have to be concentrated going into the game and show especially in the first quarter-hour that Arsenal can forget about the next round”, captain Philipp Lahm said.
Edinson Cavani had not read the script however.
Defender Samuel Umtiti was equally awed by the scope of the fightback and admitted it was the space afforded the team by PSG that allowed them to score six.
“We will be away from home, at a hard stadium and against a great team, but we are also capable of really good things”.
“This is why we watch the game”, Fox Sports 1 commentator Alexi Lalas said.
Enrique is however adamant that they have enough attacking firepower to do it.
But unlike the challenge facing Barcelona on Wednesday night at the Nou Camp, Deportivo at least had an away goal to give them hope, having lost their first leg 4-1 in Italy. “We must be able to keep our personality and our idea of??how to play”.
“We are aware that it is a hard situation to turn the tie around, but in football nothing is impossible”, said Suarez.