Kvaratskhelia, Barcola punish Chelsea
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola punished Chelsea again in the last 16 of the Champions League.
They both scored in a 3-0 away win that sent defending champion Paris Saint-Germain into the quarterfinals with an 8-2 aggregate win. And PSG’s victory was sealed with a clinical goal from 19-year-old Senny Mayulu, highlighting the strength of PSG’s youth academy. He scored the fifth goal in the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan in the Champions League final last year.
“We did almost everything well, we defended well and attacked with the abilities we have,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said. “We controlled the game (and) I think we counter-attacked very well.”
After scoring two late goals in the first leg, Kvaratskhelia put PSG ahead in the sixth minute following a blunder from Chelsea center back Mamadou Sarr. The 20-year-old Senegal international failed to deal with a routine long pass and Kvaratskhelia took the ball off him before beating goalkeeper Robert Sanchez with a low shot. “It was amazing. To score three goals away to Chelsea is very good,” Kvaratskhelia said. “The important (thing) is that we continue to play very good.”
Barcola, who scored the opener in the first leg against Chelsea, kept his place in attack despite Kvaratskhelia’s return to the starting lineup.
Luis Enrique made a strong call in dropping Desire Doue - who starred with two goals and an assist when PSG routed Inter.
Barcola made it 2-0 in the 15th minute at Stamford Bridge with a brilliant improvised finish. He collected a pass from right back Achraf Hakimi on the edge of the penalty and curled the ball into the top left corner with the outside of his right foot.
Barcola could have scored again late in the first half when he made a blistering run from deep but saw his shot saved by Sanchez.
Mayulu beat Sanchez with a superb first-time finish from the edge of the penalty area in the 62nd.
PSG’s attacking performance was so strong that Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele could afford to have a quiet game by his standards. He was taken off midway through the second half. Kvaratskhelia is now PSG’s top scorer in the competition this season with seven goals.
But the Georgia star dismissed the idea that he is a big-game player who saves his best for the Champions League. “No, I don’t think like this,” he said.
PSG faces either six-time champion Liverpool or Galatasaray in the quarterfinals next month.
