Curbasi, 17, shines for Barcelona
Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi, 17, shone of their Champions League quarter-final with PSG
Pau Cubarsi goes to be a famous person.
The 17-year-old Barcelona defender had his hardest take a look at thus far, arising towards a rampant Paris Saint-Germain assault which included Kylian Mbappe. Cubarsi solely made his LaLiga debut in January, two days earlier than his seventeenth birthday. This was solely his fifteenth first-team look and his second within the Champions League.
He would have turn into the youngest participant to play in a Champions League quarter-final had team-mate Lamine Yamal, 16, not began as effectively.
However a shocking show noticed the defender unfazed by the event. Within the first half, no participant on the pitch had extra clearances and he ended the opening 45 with a 92.59 per cent passing accuracy.
Within the second half, he received the ball again 5 occasions within the center and defensive thirds, solely Joao Cancelo and PSG’s Beraldo managed extra within the sport.
La Masia has been glorious for Barcelona this season with Yamal, Fermin Lopez and Marc Guiu among the many names to interrupt by way of this time period. Gavi and Pedri are the large names too. Add Cubarsi’s title to the record.
Sam Blitz
PSG present there’s life after Mbappe
PSG’s Kylian Mbappe lower a annoyed determine all through the sport
Luis Enrique has been taking Kylian Mbappe off in essential Ligue 1 matches in latest weeks as a result of he desires his PSG to practise enjoying with out their outgoing talisman.
Regardless of defeat to Barcelona, his crew have proven there’s lots to them earlier than he leaves.
With Mbappe fairly nameless, ending the sport with no shot on track, the opposite PSG attackers stepped as much as the fore. Ousmane Dembele appears to be like able to take the important thing attacking mantle off Mbappe, whereas Bradley Barcola, nonetheless simply 21, was an impactful participant off the bench.
Essentially the most thrilling participant nonetheless is midfielder Vitinha, who put in an all-round show on the Parc des Princes. The Portugal worldwide accomplished all however one among his 83 passes, together with 55 within the Barcelona half – he created the important thing likelihood which Dembele hit the publish and took his end brilliantly.
PSG will clearly be negatively impacted by Mbappe’s departure this summer season – however there’s lots elsewhere for Luis Enrique to maintain growing this younger aspect.
Sam Blitz
Griezmann stays a delight
Antoine Griezmann takes a selfie after profitable the participant of the match
Antoine Griezmann remains to be probably the greatest gamers on the planet.
Few have the intelligence the Frenchman possesses – that’s the fantastic thing about Griezmann as a footballer, he reads a sport like no different and will even be getting higher with age. He ran the present on the Wanda Metropolitano, creating six probabilities within the match, together with the help for Samuel Lino’s aim. It was essentially the most probabilities he is ever created in a single Champions League sport.
He is not blessed with lightning tempo or appears to be like overly highly effective to the extent that opposition gamers assume they’ve him lined however his guile and talent to alter a sport with a move or a bit of talent makes him so harmful and a pleasure to observe. He can damage you at any second, from all around the pitch.
Griezmann now has seven Champions League aim involvements for Atletico Madrid this season (5 objectives, two assists). With him on the coronary heart of Diego Simeone’s aspect, a semi-final spot is effectively inside their grasp.
Lewis Jones