Mbappé is charged to Barça

One more day, all the media focuses were on the figure of Kylian Mbappé. If he was able to score three goals at the Camp Nou, with the Parc des Princes as a witness … However, the game would be, from minute 1, very different. The enormous need for Barcelona to overcome the tie changed the role of the French star. The duel demanded more work and to be successful in the balls that came to him. From the penalty point he did not fail and was also transcendental in unsettling the Blaugrana defense. It was not the first leg, but he did not need it either. He worked harder than usual, conditioned Koeman's idea and scored a decisive goal. The protagonist of the tie wears the '7' on his back. Curiously, almost like a generational changeover, the shirt was exchanged with Pedri, another of the great world promises, after the conclusion.

PSG looked for him from the start. It started from the left wing, although it was also seen as a reference when it came to running on the backlash. Its premise was clear: receive and face, receive and face. Koeman had lined up five behind, though Dest and Jordi Alba were practically extreme to try to achieve the feat. Thus, Mbappé's pairing was none other than Mingueza. It was a risky, but correct reading of the Dutch coach. The little work of the star of the Parisian team facilitated the ascent of the lanes. The American, in fact, was close to scoring if Keylor and the stick had not prevented him.

But what Mbappé takes away from you, Mbappé gives you back. In a race, he took a yellow from Mingueza, who had no choice but to knock him down to stop his overflow. Serious problem: 65 minutes ahead and the rival referent's match was booked. Then, Koeman looked at the bench and innovated: Junior to warm up. Later, he would enter for the admonished. Firpo played as a right center back, far from his natural position as a left back. His speed, yes, was a good calming of the '7'.

Before the substitution, Mbappé put his decisive signature on the match. Lenglet stepped on Icardi from behind and the referee whistled a penalty after seeing him in the VAR. The French transformed it, with a zapatata to the left square. He was not nervous, of course. It was where it had to be. After the change, he shot to the right wing looking to stop something more the internships of a hyperactive Jordi Alba and pursuing the weakness that I could show De Jong by the yellow one he carried on his back. Some looked on the run, without threatening Ter Stegen. LIt also gave time to give a scare, when he was somewhat shocked by a fortuitous head butt with Lenglet. He came back as if nothing had happened.

SofaScore infographic.

SofaScore infographic.

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After the continuous scares in the first half, in the second PSG chose to take a small step back and contain the score. Verratti was free-spirited and moved to a more interior position to impede the Blaugrana movement. Precisely the Italian was Mbappé's best partner in the outings and cutting off his freedom made his offensive task difficult. In addition, the '7' threw a few meters towards his field to contain Dest, another headache in the first bars.

The adjustments lessened the backlash. It was a priority not to fit the second before scoring it. Mbappé, when receiving, did it in static and not in the race. He faced and tried, as his resume marks. He hardly succeeded, due to Junior's great work. Koeman entrusted him with an almost individual marking, not leaving him even ten centimeters to fly. The one intended by Real Madrid ended up exhausted, but with the smile of the classification. He failed a clear heads-up in 90 '. It is not necessary to play like at the Camp Nou to make a difference. And today he did it again.

Another record for your pocket

His Generation Z partner Erling Haaland threatens to take away this new record sooner rather than later. Until then, Mbappé can boast of being the youngest player in history to reach 25 goals in the Champions League. He has done it with 22 years and 80 days, surpassing the mark of 22 and 286 that Leo Messi marked on his day. He has done it in 42 games, a fantastic record. This season, at the moment, he has six in seven games. Most importantly, the quarter-final ticket in his name. Will he take revenge for the defeat against Bayern last season? Will he be crowned in the top continental competition? Merits, of course, is doing …