Mbappe shines, Marquinhos remains consistent as PSG thrash Barcelona at the Camp Nou

It was a famous night at the Nou Camp as PSG produced one of the most shocking results in the Champions League. For many obvious reasons, this was perhaps the most anticipated tie of the round. Firstly, there was the possibility of a Neymar-Messi re-union. However, the Brazilian superstar was absent as he suffered an […]
2021-02-19 02:30:08

It was a famous night at the Nou Camp as PSG produced one of the most shocking results in the Champions League.

For many obvious reasons, this was perhaps the most anticipated tie of the round. Firstly, there was the possibility of a Neymar-Messi re-union. However, the Brazilian superstar was absent as he suffered an ankle injury prior to the game. In the absence of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe rose to the occasion.

Lionel Messi looked to have gotten Barca to a bright start with a penalty in the first half.

The game soon turned around in the favor of the French side. Mbappe ran riot and scored a brilliant hat-trick to put the Catalans to the sword. There was time for one more as Moise Kean continued his impressive form for PSG with a goal late on via a header.

On the defensive side of things, Marquinhos continued to show his worth for PSG and manager Mauricio Pochettino. It is surely not a coincidence that Les Parisiens are yet to lose with their captain playing in the heart of defence this season.

In all of their five Ligue 1 defeats so far, the 26-year-old was noticeably absent in those games.

It would come as no surprise to see that Marquinhos is in the runining to win the Samba Gold award. However, given his position in the heart of defence, his chances might be slim compared to the more offensive names nominated alongside.

So far, Marquinhos remains a central figure in the PSG ranks and remains a regular under Mauricio Pochettino given he is available for selection. He has scored twice in 23 appearances this term, amassing 1836 minutes of action across all competitions.