Barcelona confirmed their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their quarter-final clash this evening.
The Spanish giants held a 3-1 aggregate lead from the first leg and took less than 15 minutes to extend that advantage as Neymar rounded the keeper to slot home following a majestic run from Andres Iniesta.
Neymar put the tie well and truly beyond doubt 20 minutes later with his second goal of the evening, rising unmarked inside the box to nod home Dani Alves's cross from the right.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at whether Barca deserved to progress this evening.
Match statistics
BARCELONA
Shots: 10
On target: 6
Possession: 57%
Corners: 5
Fouls: 11
PSG
Shots: 9
On target: 2
Possession: 43%
Corners: 1
Fouls: 16
Was the result fair?
Absolutely. There was only ever one team in this match tonight, and it could well have been more had Barca forced the issue in the second half. It is a surprise that PSG had as even a share of the statistics as they did, with the hosts in complete control throughout. They did most of the hard work in the first leg last week, but just nudged themselves over the line in the opening 45 minutes today, utterly outclassing their opponents.
At the break, there were fears that it could get embarrassing for PSG, such was the one-sided nature of the first half. However, the visitors improved in the second half and, coupled with Barcelona taking their foot off the pedal, that made for a more even affair. PSG began to see more of the ball and had more frequent glimpses of the Barcelona goal, but the hosts always seemed to be in control and there was the sense that they could have gone back up through the gears if required.
It was vital that PSG got the first goal tonight to stand any chance, but a magnificent opener created by Iniesta and finished by Neymar put paid to those hopes. Neymar's second, which was more a result of poor defending, was the final nail in the coffin, and from that point on Barcelona were in cruise control and PSG were in damage limitation. The match fizzled out a little in the second half, but only after Barca had dazzled in getting the job done.
Barcelona's performance
The opening 45 minutes was a clinic and showed exactly why Barcelona are many people's favourites to go on and lift the trophy this season. Having notched three away goals in the first leg last week, Barca set about looking to put the tie beyond any doubt in the first half today. That is exactly what they did, scoring a splendid opener before adding the extra security of a second on the night and a fifth on aggregate that left PSG needing four unanswered goals to progress.
Simply put, that was never going to happen. Barcelona were in sparkling form tonight and this score could have been almost anything they wanted had they kept up the intensity throughout. They looked dangerous every time they came forward in the first half, and that was even with Lionel Messi having a quiet game. Things slowed up a little in the second half as Barca took their foot off the pedal, but the work had been done by that point.
There was little doubt that Barcelona would progress into the last four tonight, but the manner in which they did it was impressive. They moved the ball about really well in the first half and, should Messi and Luis Suarez be on song as well, it is hard to see how any team could stop them. It looks like being a very strong quartet in the semi-finals this season, but Barca will really fancy their chances of going all the way.
PSG's performance
It was always going to be a near-impossible task for the visitors following their 3-1 home defeat in the first leg last week, but the manner in which they responded tonight was very disappointing. A gung-ho approach would have been ill-advised against such a star-studded attacking lineup, but PSG offered nothing in attack in the first half despite going into the match needing at least three to progress. They didn't even manage that many shots on target throughout the whole 90 minutes as Barcelona comfortably kept them at arm's length.
Barcelona were in fine form in the first half, but PSG didn't help themselves. They were poor in possession - a cardinal sin against this Barcelona side - and once again will look at both goals as being avoidable from a defensive standpoint. The first was superb play from Iniesta and Neymar, true, but the former could have been stopped early in the move. The second goal, meanwhile, was terrible defending from David Luiz as Neymar was left completely unmarked in the box.
The visitors did improve after the break, with the substitutes making an impact from the bench. They were helped by Barca going into cruise control, but they did a good job of keeping things respectable having been second best in every area of the field in the first half. Even so, tonight and this tie as a whole is another stark reminder that they are some way from competing with the very best in Europe, and that is something they will be desperate to address in the coming years.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Neymar: Iniesta was well on course to win this award before his half-time withdrawal, so instead it goes to two-goal Neymar. With Suarez and especially Messi having quiet games this evening, it was up to Neymar to fill in and he did exactly that to make the difference. He took both goals really well, with the first in particular being a lovely finish around the keeper following Iniesta's brilliant run.
Biggest gaffe
Luiz redeemed himself a little in the second half, but his defending for the second goal tonight was suspect - as it was for Suarez's brace a week ago. The PSG centre-back left Neymar completely unmarked inside the box, oblivious to any danger around him as he rushed forward for no apparent reason. That second goal on the night was the real killer blow.
Referee performance
Svein Oddvar Moen was very lenient this evening, producing just one yellow card when there could have been plenty more. He also let a lot of apparent fouls go as he tried to let the game flow, recognising in the second half that it was over as a contest anyway.
What next?
Barcelona: Next up for Barcelona is a local derby as they face Espanyol in La Liga on Saturday.
PSG: PSG, meanwhile, will continue their charge towards the Ligue 1 title against Lille, also on Saturday.
Barney Corkhill
