UEFA Champions League: Bayern Stunned By Porto, Barcelona Win Easy In Paris

Barcelona have one step in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after easy win against Paris Saint-Germain, while Porto stunned Bayern Munich on their home ground to leave the Germans reeling on Wednesday night. Both matches finished with a 3-1 score line.

PSG were already struggling with Marco Verratti, Serge Aurier and Thiago Motta out through injury and the all-important Zlatan Ibrahimovic starting the first of a four match ban when they welcomed Barcelona to Paris. David Luiz and Lucas Moura started from the bench with fitness issues.

The home side had the first chance of the match when Blaise Matuidi found Javier Pastore with a perfect cross in the eighth minute, but the latter was unable to get off a clean shot and the chance disappeared. Barcelona then went ahead in the 17^th minute as Lionel Messi set up Neymar with a superb through-ball for the Brazilian to slot home. Luiz then came on as an early substitute in 21^st minute after Thiago Silva suffered an injury.

PSG failed to threaten throughout the match, with Edinson Cavani ineffective and Zlatan missing. And Luiz Suarez nutmegged defenders in both his goals, virtually setting himself up, in the space of eight minutes in the second half to complete a miserable evening for the hosts. Gregory van der Wiel’s shot in the 79^th minute was deflected by Frenchman Jeremy Mathieu to make it 3-1, but PSG still have a mountain to climb in the second leg at the Nou Camp next week.

Bayern Munich made a disastrous defensive start at the Estádio do Dragão as they conceded twice barely 10 minutes into the game. Xabi Alonso was caught on the ball by Jackson Martinez, who then raced into the penalty box, where he was fouled by Manuel Neuer. The German goalkeeper was lucky to escape with a booking and not a red, but he couldn’t keep Martinez’s penalty out.

Dante was next in being caught out for the second goal, with Ricardo Quaresma stealing the ball from him and slotted it home. Bayern then took control by holding much of the possession, and got one back in the 27^th minute when Thiago Alcantara managed to get a foot onto Jerome Boateng’s cross and managed to poke it into the goal. Boateng was then fault for yet another Bayern defensive error, mistiming a header and Quaresma taking adventage to control the ball, race forward and beat Neuer again for his second and Porto’s third goal of the night.

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