‘It was unreal’
Updated 10/04/2024 at 21:50 GMT
TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand admitted he was in awe of Barcelona’s teenage stars after the Catalans beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final at the Parcs des Princes. PSG led 2-1 in the second half before goals from Raphinha and Andreas Christensen ensured Barcelona would take a lead back to the Camp Nou.Lamine Yamal Ă la poursuite de Kylian MbappĂ©
Image credit: Getty Images
The trust Xavi Hernandez put in 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi at centre-back and 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal was rewarded, with both instrumental in the victory.
âWonderful football, wonderful moments, goals galore, this competition never ceases to amaze me. It does it every year,â Ferdinand said on TNT Sports.
âYou come into it and wonder, âWhat are we going to get?â Bang. Goals, crazy performances and people that come out of the woodwork.
âThese young kids at Barca, they were tremendous today. You look at the performances of players at this level and think itâs the experience that gets them through but sometimes you need that fearlessness of the likes of Cubarsi and Yamal coming in.
âYou think what we were doing at 17, 18 years old, thereâs no way we could have gone in there and performed at this level with such energy and the aura, the way their chests are out like Iâm meant to be here.
âIt was unreal, really good to see.â
Yamal played a huge role in Barcelonaâs opening goal, his outswinging ball into the box evading two PSG defenders and leaving Gianluigi Donnarumma able only to palm it out to Raphinha, who adjusted himself before slotting home with his weak foot.
At the other end of the pitch, Cubarsi showed composure and discipline above his years to help his side keep Kylian Mbappe quiet on the night, while there were also strong contributions made by Barcelonaâs young stars who came off the bench.
Specifically, Pedri, 21, entered the fray on the hour mark and with one of his first touches lofted a pinpoint ball over the top for Raphinha to strike first time past Donnarumma and draw the visitors level at 2-2 before another sub in Andreas Christensen sealed the win.
Crouch echoed Ferdinandâs sentiments and highlighted the way in which Pedri was able to immediately get up to speed in a contest of such magnitude.
âHeâs still a young man,â Crouch added. âHeâs played a lot of games compared to Yamal and Cubarsi of course but he comes on with just a calmness and presence of mind in a pressure cooker of such an intense game to be able to put his foot on the ball with one of his first touches and play that ball to Raphinha and get them back in it.â
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