Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s 93rd-minute strike secured a truly remarkable comeback as Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to beat Atalanta 2-1 and reach the Champions League semi-finals.
Thomas Tuchel’s side fell behind in the 27th-minute when Mario Pasalic curled Atalanta ahead with a splendid left-footed curled effort with his 12th goal of the season. The ball broke free to the Croatian after a challenge by Zapata on Presnel Kimpembe, and the former Chelsea midfielder curled his shot confidently beyond Navas.
Neymar showed glimmers of brilliance but then moments of ineptness as he missed glorious chances to level before the break. The French champions looked set for another agonizing quarter-final exit after Atalanta went into half-time with a deserved lead at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
Mbappe, who has just recovered from an ankle injury and only fit enough for the bench, was finally introduced with half an hour remaining and although he immediately improved PSG, the French giants looked destined to exit the competition prematurely once again.
It appeared Atalanta had done enough to secure a famous victory, but Marquinhos levelled matters as the game entered stoppage time before former Stoke City forward Choupo-Moting completed the turnaround with a breathless finish as PSG snatched victory from the jaws of defeat..
Neymar laid on Marquinhos’ equaliser in the 90th minute, although the last touch may have come off the boot of Mattia Caldara, and with just 90 seconds to play, substitute Mbappe handed the winner on a plate for substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, as Tuchel’s men set up a semi-final clash with Atletico Madrid or Leipzig.
It was a crushing blow for Atalanta as Bergamo was one of the hardest-hit places by the coronavirus pandemic in Europe, with more than 6,000 people dying with COVID-19 in the province. They were minutes away from sparking celebrations in the region and a place in the last four only to be undone by two late goals. But for PSG, so often on the receiving end of dramatic Champions League exits, this was pay-back.
PSG boss Thomas Tuchel was glad his side had finally overcome the mental block in the Champions League to qualify to the next stage for the first time;
“”I had the feeling that we closed it with the second match against Dortmund. It was this famous ‘we cannot reach the quarter-finals’ thing and suddenly we had a bad first game and a lot of bad news before the second leg, but we turned it around with no spectators.” He said
“We are very happy to be part of this moment in the club’s history. People from outside don’t realize how hard it is to reach all these goals, even if it seems easy with a good team and a big squad. But it’s a big effort and it’s a very big step for all of us.”
The Ligue 1 champions will face either RB Leipzig or Atletico Madrid at the Estadio Jose Alvalade for a place in the final in 10 days’ time.
