Mbappe's Hat-trick Silences Barcelona

Kylian Mbappe (Twitter @PSG_English)

JAKARTA - Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe scored a stunning hat-trick as his team overcame Neymar's absence to beat Barcelona 4-1 in the first leg of the Champions League last 16, Wednesday morning WIB. PSG has a great chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Lionel Messi put Barca ahead with a penalty in the first half but Mbappe put the French champions level with classy control and completed a flowing team maneuver that also involved Marco Verratti and Layvin Kurzawa.

Mbappe, who had not scored in the knockout stages of the Champions League for two years before this match put PSG back ahead in the 65th minute while Moise Kean took advantage of Barca's defensive gaps to head for the visitors' third in the 70th minute.

❤️ 𝗞𝗬𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗡 💙Incredible! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/hP4tbTuBdd

- Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) February 16, 2021

The insatiable Mbappe remains hungry and after his third goal was thwarted by Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, he completed his hat-trick in the 85th minute by curling the ball past the German goalkeeper into the top corner.

Barca, who overcame a 0-4 defeat to PSG in the first leg of the 2017 edition of the last 16 by winning the second leg at home 6-1, now face another tough task to turn things around when they travel to Parc des Princes on March 10.

Barcelona enter this match armed with seven consecutive victories in La Liga. They should have been encouraged by the return of Gerard Pique to their defense after nearly three months out but were crushed by Mauricio Pochettino's side.

Mauro Icardi should have put last year's runner-up ahead when he charged towards Barca but the Argentine fired a shot which Barca's teenage midfielder Pedri cleared.

Confirmed: Moise Kean scores goals #UCL | #FCBPSG pic.twitter.com/rOp9GGR15T

- Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) February 16, 2021

Barca then took the advantage when Frenkie de Jong was accidentally tackled by Layvin Kurzawa and Messi took the penalty kick past former Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas to score the fourth goal in this season's competition all from penalties.

PSG responded convincingly with a goal from their class in the 32nd minute and should have taken the lead before the break when Kurzawa's effort was thwarted by a save from Ter Stegen's fingertips and Icardi's header narrowly wide of the net.

Barca created a moment of its own when Antoine Griezmann dashed towards goal from the center line but his shot went wide from the far post.

The second half belonged to PSG and no player appeared more confident than the resounding Mbappe who became the first player to score a hat-trick for the visitors at Camp Nou since Andriy Shevchenko in 1997.