“A leader who showed the way”… Kylian Mbappé guided Paris to the last four of the Champions League

Author of two new goals against Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday, the Parisian responded when PSG needed it and brought his total to six goals in four matches against the Catalan club.

He had revenge to take. Behind and almost invisible during the first leg, six days earlier, Kylian Mbappé scored the goal of PSG’s qualification against Barcelona, ​​Tuesday April 16, before scoring a double to seal his team’s presence in the last four of the Champions League. Less sparkling than he could be in other matches, notably during his hat-trick at Camp Nou in February 2021, the top scorer of this 2023-2024 edition of the C1 was decisive when the scenario asked, acting like a boss.

Established at the forefront of the Parisian attack by Luis Enrique, who did not retry the option of a false nine with Marco Asensio, Kylian Mbappé did not have to create the gaps. Supported by flamboyant wingers Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé, the native of Bondy (Seine-Saint-Denis) showed himself less in his usual register of accelerations and dribbling, to concentrate on center-forward tasks .

Mbappé knew how to play fair

Constantly caught by an amputated central defense of Ronald Araujo after 30 minutes, he created spaces on the sides for his midfielders, who devoured them, and carried out pressing as we have rarely seen from him. He also knew how to act as a surface fox on a double occasion where he came up against Marc-André ter Stegen, then Jules Koundé (28th).

Discreet during the first hour of play, the Parisian striker never overplayed, combining when necessary in particular with Fabian Ruiz whom he launched perfectly to the left of the area, rather than playing the shot for him ( 52nd). This same Fabian Ruiz, definitely not stingy with his efforts, whom he had served earlier in the match on a split, while he was in a position as he likes them on the left side.

Above all, the vice-captain of PSG did not tremble when everyone expected him. After a penalty obtained by the man of the match, Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé appeared in front of Marc-André ter Stegen to offer the goal of virtual qualification to PSG. The result ? A surgical strike into the left corner of the Barcelona goalkeeper who, although starting on the right side, was unable to reach it. The French international, however, failed during his last attempt from 11 meters during the Coupe de France semi-final against Rennes, two weeks earlier.

At the start and conclusion of an 80 meter action

“He is a leader who showed the way”underlined Luis Enrique in a press conference after the match, emphasizing the importance of his pressing on the first Catalan restarts. “When a team feels that a player as important as Kylian is ready to take us with him, everyone is ready to benefit”he had already appreciated on the microphone of Canal+ a few minutes after the final whistle.

Defensive work which paid off at the end of the match. It is he who tackles on the outskirts of his own area to intercept Ilkay Gündogan’s back pass on a short corner, thus launching Hakimi on the counter for an action concluded 80 meters further by the French striker. A dedication and a race in the 89th minute which sealed the Parisian ticket for the last four.

With 48 goals in the Champions League, Kylian Mbappé enters the top 10 of the best scorers in the competition (preliminary rounds excluded), equaling Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Andre Shevchenko in 10th place. Author of eight goals in the 2023/24 campaign, he overtakes Harry Kane in the ranking of top scorers of this edition. Finally, the Parisian has six goals against Barcelona in just four matches, which makes him his favorite prey in the competition. What will ignite future Clasicos?