Another night of Champions League drama leaves PSG and Dortmund poised for epic rematch

It was a night that will undoubtedly leave a lasting imprint in the history of Paris St Germain (PSG). In the annals of European club competition, there had been 127 instances where a team suffered a 3-2 home defeat in the first leg of a two-legged tie, and only on six occasions did they manage to make a comeback. Now, PSG can proudly claim to be the seventh team to achieve this feat, and what makes it even sweeter is that they accomplished it against long-standing rivals Barcelona.  

Kylian Mbappe, the star of the show, delivered a stunning performance by scoring two crucial goals. The first came from the penalty spot, calmly dispatched after a foul by Joao Cancelo on Ousmane Dembele. Then, in the 89th minute, Mbappe found himself with the ball on the edge of the area. Although his initial attempt was stopped by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, he swiftly reacted and smashed the rebound into the net, sealing a magnificent victory.

The weight of expectation on Mbappe's shoulders is undeniably immense. At just 25 years old, he is expected to leave for Real Madrid at the end of the season. However, one can't help but feel that Mbappe has been yearning for his hometown club to succeed before his departure. After experiencing numerous near misses and dashed hopes at this level, it seems he is desperately willing PSG to achieve glory on the grandest stage. As his journey in the French capital nears its conclusion, there remains a glimmer of hope that it could culminate in the fairy tale ending he has likely dreamed of for so long.

Elsewhere on the same night, Borussia Dortmund orchestrated a remarkable comeback, overturning a 2-1 deficit from their first leg against Atletico Madrid to emerge victorious with a 5-4 win on aggregate. The match itself was a captivating blend of flaws and chaos. Dortmund seemed to let the tie slip from their grasp not once, but twice, only to reclaim their dominance on both occasions. Late goals from Niclas Fullkrug and Marcel Sabitzer ultimately sealed Dortmund's triumph, propelling them to their first semifinal appearance since 2013.  

While Atletico displayed commendable resilience in mounting a comeback early in the second half, in hindsight, it felt like the valiant last stand of a team teetering on the edge of disarray. Notably, this marked the first time Atletico conceded four goals in a Champions League knockout tie since their 4-1 defeat to bitter rivals Real Madrid in the 2014 final. Diego Simeone's side now find themselves in a seven-year drought, unable to reach the final four of Europe's premier competition.

Dortmund, on the other hand, are about to rekindle their acquaintance with PSG, whom they crossed paths with during the group stage. Coach Edin Terzic believes that his players are now better prepared to take on the French champions. Reflecting on their previous encounters where Dortmund suffered an away defeat and settled for a draw at home against PSG, Terzic acknowledged that there's room for improvement. But he highlighted that in the second game, they made adjustments and came much closer to victory. 

It is only the fourth time Dortmund have advanced beyond the quarterfinals, and they will undoubtedly give their utmost to slay another football giant, even in the face of the formidable and in-form Mbappe.