Champions League: PSG hold off spirited Barca to advance

10 Leo Messi of FC Barcelona rounded by Sevilla defenses during the Spanish Copa del Rey semi final match between FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC at Camp Nou Stadium on March 03, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain.

Lionel Messi scored a superb long-range effort and had a penalty saved as Paris St-Germain held off his spirited Barcelona side to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 5-2 aggregate win.

The result sees Barca fail to advance into the last eight of the competition for the first time in 14 years.

Messi's stunning equaliser had given the visitors hope of staging a remarkable comeback after Kylian Mbappe had earlier put the hosts in front against the run of play with a penalty.

Ronald Koeman's side had arrived at the Parc des Princes seeking to become the first side to overturn a three-goal deficit from the first leg at home by delivering a performance on the scale of 'La Remontada'.

But some wasteful finishing, including Messi's penalty that was deflected on to the bar by PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas on the stroke of half time, sealed their fate.


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