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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)'s Kylian Mbappe scored a stunning hat-trick as his side overcame the absence of Neymar to thrash Barcelona 4-1 away in their Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday to move within full view of the quarter-finals.
Lionel Messi had blasted Barca ahead with a penalty in the first half but Mbappe pulled the French champions level with a classy piece of control and finishing to complete a flowing team move also involving Marco Verratti and Layvin Kurzawa.
Mbappe, who had not scored in the Champions League knockouts for two years before Tuesday, smashed PSG into the lead in the 65th minute while Moise Kean took advantage of some woeful Barca marking to head in a third goal for the visitors in the 70th.
PSG's French forward Kylian Mbappe (C) dribbles the ball during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match against FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, February 16, 2021. /CFP
The insatiable Mbappe looked hungry for more though and after being denied his third goal by Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, he completed his treble in the 85th minute by curling the ball past the German into the top corner.
Barca overcame a 4-0 defeat to PSG in a last-16 first leg in 2017 by winning the second leg at home 6-1 and the Catalans now face another daunting task in turning this tie around when they visit the Parc des Princes on March 10.
Barcelona went into the game crowing from a run of seven La Liga wins in a row but, while they were boosted by the return of serial winner Gerard Pique in defense after nearly three months out, they were blown away by Mauricio Pochettino's side.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi reacts after conceding their fourth goal during their Champions League clash with PSG at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, February 16, 2021. /CFP
Mauro Icardi should have given last year's runners-up the lead when he strolled through on goal but the Argentine scuffed his shot and Barca's teenage midfielder Pedri recovered to clear.
Barca then got a lucky break when Frenkie de Jong was accidentally tripped by Layvin Kurzawa and Messi smashed his penalty beyond former Real Madrid keeper Keylor Navas to score a fourth goal in this season's competition, all from spot-kicks.
PSG responded emphatically with their classy team goal after 32 minutes and should have gone ahead before the break when Kurzawa was thwarted by a fingertip save from Ter Stegen and Icardi headed just wide from a corner.
Barca had their moments too, Antoine Griezmann showing exceptional pace to sprint towards goal from the halfway line but landing his shot just wide of the far post.
The second half belonged to PSG though, and no player symbolized their confidence better than the resplendent Mbappe, who became the first player to score a visiting hat-trick at the Camp Nou since Andriy Shevchenko in 1997.
Sadio Mane of FC Liverpool jumps over Willi Orban of RB Leipzig during their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match at Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, February 16, 2021. /CFP
Elsewhere, goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane helped Liverpool snap a three-match losing run as they stunned hosts RB Leipzig 2-0 in their Champions League Round of 16 first leg on Tuesday.
Juergen Klopp's team may have written off their chances of winning back-to-back Premier League titles after losing three successive domestic matches but they gained a clear advantage in their European tie going into the March 10 return leg.
Salah easily intercepted a back pass by Leipzig's Marcel Sabitzer to put the visitors ahead in the 53rd minute and on course for their first win in any competition since late January.
Mane then pounced on another mistake when Nordi Mukiele failed to clear a long ball five minutes later, leaving the Germans down for the count in Budapest's Puskas Arena where the game had been relocated due to COVID-19 restrictions in Germany.
The Germans got off to a better start and Dani Olmo's downward header in the fifth minute bounced off the base of the post.
With Leipzig defending high, Liverpool initially tried to slice through with deep crosses and one of them found Salah in the 15th but his chip was blocked by keeper Peter Gulasci.
Andy Robertson then tried his luck with an audacious 40-meter lob that almost caught Gulasci out of position but they had to wait until the 53rd to strike with their first chance of the second half.
RB Leipzig head coach Julian Nagelsmann (R) shakes hands with his Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp after their Champions League clash at Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, February 16, 2021. /CFP
Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann then saw his players gift away another goal with Mukiele's error and Mane's crisp finish.
Leipzig, who came into the game on a four-game winning run in all competitions, were largely toothless in attack following the two goals until Tyler Adam's miss in stoppage time.
(With input from agencies)
