Barcelona: Kylian Mbappe scored a stunning hat trick as Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Barcelona 4-1 away in their Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday to move within full view of the quarterfinals.
Lionel Messi had blasted Barca ahead with a penalty on 27 minutes, but Mbappe was the star of the night as he produced a beautiful display with a classy piece of control and slotted home a flowing team move involving Marco Verratti and Layvin Kurzawa on 32 minutes to equalise.
The French youngster put PSG ahead on 65 minutes while Moise Kean took advantage of some woeful Barca marking to head in a third goal for the visitors on 70 minutes. The insatiable Mbappe looked hungry for more completing his hat-trick on 85 minutes by curling the ball past the German keeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen into the top corner.
Barca overcame a 4-0 defeat to PSG in a last-16 first leg in 2017 by winning the second leg at home 6-1 and the Catalans are about to face another daunting task in turning this tie around. They visit Parc des Princes on March 10 in the second leg.
