Barcelona have chosen the absolute worst moment to put in one of their most carless performances of the season. They’ve given the ball away and been unable to play with a rampant PSG side that finds themselves up 2-0 at half. While Barca have been awful, PSG have been simply brilliant, dominating the Catalans in every aspect of the game. PSG have launched 11 shots in the first half, putting seven on target.
Paris Saint-Germain have taken an early lead over Barcelona in their Champions League round of 16 first leg at the Parc des Princes. PSG have been all over Barca in the early stages, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen did well to save from Blaise Matuidi in the 11th minute.
However, PSG found the opener after Julian Draxler was taken down on top of the box. Angel Di Maria stepped up and sent a curling effort near the right-hand corner. Luis Suarez completely neglected his responsibility in the wall and Der Stegen was beaten.
It’s a familiar scenario for Paris Saint-Germain: on a quest for European dominance and validation as one of the world’s top clubs, but Barcelona stand in their way. Barca eliminated PSG at the quarterfinal stage of both the 2012-13 and 2014-15 Champions League.
The NWSL could use a positive headline in the next few weeks. First, the NWSL lost its biggest star in Alex Morgan, who is moving to play at Lyon through the summer. Her parent club, the Orlando Pride, will open their brand new stadium without their biggest attraction.
Replacing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his 2015-16 tally of 44 goals for Paris St-Germain was always going to be impossible, but the club couldn’t have foreseen the transition being this painful. The numbers indicating the decline of PSG’s attack are staggering: last season, they scored 102 league goals. This year, they’re on pace for 76.
While the defense has already surrendered 15 goals at the halfway point of the season as compared to 19 throughout the entirety of 2015-16, it’s the lack of offensive firepower that is clearly troubling owners Qatar Sports Investments.
Thomas Meunier is a right back so this goal probably shouldn’t have been allowed to stand. It’s outrageous in the extreme.
This goal is so luscious that the 3 Musketeers candy bar company if filing a lawsuit for stealing their recipe. This goal is softer than goose down feathers and silkier than satin. Thomas Meunier pick up your phone, kittens are calling you, they want their velvety fluff back.
The 2016-17 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw took place early Monday morning in Nyon, Switzerland and left us with some very entertaining match ups:
Look at what this fool Edinson Cavani did.
Le but de #Cavani, sur une retourné acrobatique, contre Ludogorets #PSGLUD #PSG pic.twitter.com/GBg1GL7nus
— Paris No Limit™ (@ParisNoLimit) December 6, 2016
Most of you out in soccer land, we are willing to bet, watched Manchester City vs. Barcelona this afternoon. We do not begrudge you one bit for that, as it was a fun game. However, if you did watch Manchester City vs. Barcelona, you missed out on this Thomas Meunier rocket volley winner for PSG, which we think is the goal of the Champions League so far.