Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain stuns short-handed Barcelona; Dortmund rallies past Madrid

Barcelona was in full control of its Champions League match with Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

Then a first-half red card changed everything. PSG rallied from a 1-0 hole and a 4-2 aggregate deficit with four unanswered goals against short-handed Barcelona to secure a 4-1 win. It advances to the Champions League semifinals round thanks to a 6-4 aggregate advantage.

There, PSG will face a Borussia Dortmund team that survived an own goal Tuesday to rally past Atlético Madrid, 4-2 (5-4 aggregate).

Barcelona strikes first, doubles lead

Barcelona entered Tuesday’s game with a one-goal advantage after winning the first leg of the quarterfinal, 3-2. Twelve minutes in, it doubled its advantage with a Raphinha goal past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Then the tone of the game shifted on a red card.

Ronald Araújo red card shifts advantage to PSG

Around the 29-minute mark, PSG’s Bradley Barcola broke free for a scoring chance after a Barcelona turnover at midfield. Barcelona’s Ronald Araújo chased Barcola down and pulled him to the turf from behind by his right shoulder at the edge of the penalty box.

The referee whistled a penalty, but officials determined that the contact took place just outside the box and awarded PSG a free kick instead of a penalty kick. But they issued a red card to Araújo, resulting in his ejection. Barcelona would play the last 60 minutes of the game a man down.

PSG took full advantage.

PSG scoring binge secures spot in semis

Ousmane Dembélé’s ensuing free kick sailed over the top of the net. But he would find the back of the net 10 minutes later against his short-handed opponent. At the 39-minute mark, Dembélé sent in a one-timer from the right side of the net on a cross from Barcola, tying the game at 1-1 and cutting Barcelona’s aggregate lead to to 4-3.

It was the second goal of the quarterfinal against his former team after Dembélé tied the first leg at 1-1.

PSG kept the pressure on from the start of the second half. Fabián Ruiz just missed the right side of the goal on a shot from the penalty box at the 52-minute mark. But Vitinha scored moments later, sneaking the ball past goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen from just outside the penalty box.

The goal gave PSG a 2-1 lead and tied the aggregate score at 4-4. Then another penalty doomed Barcelona.

Penalty sets up Mbappé for go-ahead goal

João Cancelo challenged Dembélé on the right side of the penalty box at the 58-minute mark. He tripped Dembélé, sending him flailing to the turf, drawing another foul.

This time, the foul clearly took place inside the box. PSG was awarded a penalty kick that Kylian Mbappé sent into the left side of the net past ter Stegen.

The goal gave PSG a 3-1 lead. After trailing the aggregate score, 4-2 in the game’s opening minutes, PSG had taken a 5-4 lead.

Mbappé went on to add an insurance goal at the 89-minute mark, putting the game of out reach for Barcelona. When it was done, PSG had stunned a Barcelona team that appeared early Tuesday well on its way to the semifinals.

Dortmund rallies past Atlético Madrid to face PSG in semis

In the other quarterfinal Tuesday, Atlético Madrid entered the game with a 2-1 advantage after the first leg against Dortmund. Like its Spanish counterpart Barcelona, it saw its opponent rally for victory.

Dortmund struck first Tuesday with a Julian Brandt goal at the 34-minute mark to tie the aggregate score at 2-2.

A goal by Ian Maatsen minutes later gave Dortmund a 2-0 lead in the game and a 3-2 aggregate advantage.

But a Dortmund mistake in the second half would give Madrid new life.

Own goal allows Atleti back into game

Atlético had a corner kick from the left side of the field at the 48-minute mark. The ball dropped past the right side of the net, where Atleti’s Mario Hermoso headed it back toward the goal. There, Dortmund’s Mats Hummels attempted to block it. Instead he directed the ball toward the back of the net for an own goal.

The goal cut Dortmund’s lead to 2-1 and tied the aggregate score at 3-3.

An Angel Correa goal then tied the game at 2-2 and gave Madrid the aggregate advantage again at the 64-minute mark.

But Dortmund wasn’t fazed. At the 71-minute mark, a Niclas Füllkrug header gave Dortmund a 3-2 lead and tied the aggregate score yet again. Two minutes later, Marcel Sabitzer scored on a kick that bounced off goalkeeper Jan Oblak‘s hands and into the net.

The goal at the 73-minute mark gave Dortmund a 5-4 aggregate advantage that would stand at the final whistle.

Next up for Dortmund, a date with PSG with a trip to the Champions League final on the line.