Paris Saint-Germain 2-3 Barcelona: Raphinha double sees Los Cules edge out five-goal thriller

Barcelona staged a remarkable comeback, turning back time, to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. This triumph marked Barcelona's first win at the Parc des Princes since their successful 2015 campaign at the same stage.

Barcelona made sure to avoid a repeat of their famous 'Remontada' from the 2017 match-up by taking charge around the 20-minute mark. Nuno Mendes' goalline clearance denied Robert Lewandowski's header from finding the back of the net.

Raphinha then had a go, but Gianluigi Donnarumma managed to push his shot wide. The former Leeds player proved to be the most threatening for the visiting team leading up to his goal.

Once again, Barça launched a quick counterattack during the match. Lamine Yamal, the youngest UCL quarter-final participant ever, delivered a cross that Donnarumma fumbled, allowing Raphinha to score into the empty net.

Despite a promising start in the opening 10 minutes, PSG's performance in the first half was lackluster, with Kylian Mbappé being effectively neutralized by the impressive 17-year-old Pau Cubarsí.

However, the game took a surprising turn in the second half when the home team completely changed the momentum.

The first breakthrough came when Ousmane Dembélé capitalized on Ronald Araújo's poor clearance and scored a powerful goal into Marc-André ter Stegen's net.

Shortly after, Fabián Ruiz skillfully passed the ball to Vitinha, who calmly slotted it into the far corner from close range.

PSG continued to press forward, with Bradley Barcola hitting the crossbar, but they were soon caught off guard themselves.

Just moments after coming on as a substitute, Pedri delivered a beautiful lofted pass to Raphinha, who scored his second goal with a delicate finish using the outside of his boot.

Dembélé's shot hit the post, adding to the hosts' misfortune and paving the way for Barcelona to take the lead once again.

Andreas Christensen rose above the defense to meet İlkay Gündoğan's corner and directed a header past Donnarumma, securing an unlikely victory for the visitors.

Next week, both teams will face each other again on the Spanish coast for the second leg, promising an intriguing match.

Luis Enrique, a former manager of Barcelona, will be hoping for a comeback similar to the last time he faced PSG in this head-to-head encounter, albeit from the opposite side.