PSG, Barcelona take big first leg leads in Champions League quarters
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick is happy with the result and believes his team is good enough to win it all.
Paris Saint Germain and FC Barcelona took huge steps towards the Champions League semi finals with well taken victories against Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund respectively Wednesday evening.
The inspiring Polish striker Robert Lewandowski hit a brace to help Barcelona rout Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in a one-sided Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick is happy with the result and believes his team is good enough to win it all.
"We will analyse this game, and I will tell the players they did very well, but there are still things to improve. I'm very happy with the result today, but it's just the first step."
In Paris, PSG scored a late goal to ensure a 3-1 win over a defensive Aston Villa outfit to pick up a valuable lead to take back to England next week.
Five-time winners Barcelona took the lead against last year's runners-up through Brazilian winger Raphinha before Lewandowski reached 40 goals for the season with his two goals.
Teenager Lamine Yamal was an unstoppable throughout with his trickery and soft skills and deftly prodded home Barcelona's fourth as Dortmund collapsed.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored one of the wonderful modern era Champions League goals as PSG came from behind to beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie on Wednesday.
Morgan Rogers had given Aston Villa a 35th-minute lead at the Parc des Princes against the run of play, but PSG were quickly back level through an unstoppable strike by Desire Doue, who beat Emi Martinez in the Villa goal with aplomb.
Kvaratskhelia then took centre stage with a stunning strike on 49 minutes before fullback Nuno Mendes added a crucial third in stoppage time, giving PSG a significant two-goal cushion to take into the return in Birmingham next Tuesday.
Villa boss Unai Emery is hoping his team will bounce back next week at home.
"Villa Park is our home, and hopefully there we will be stronger. But of course they are still favourites. They showed their power and individual quality," he said in the aftermath of the match.
The return legs will be held next week Tuesday, with PSG traveling to England and Barcelona headed to Germany.
The winner of the two ties will face each other in the semifinals.