MADRID — The Blaugrana progressed to the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday night after overturning a two-goal deficit against Sevilla
Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman was delighted to see his charges come back in thrilling fashion to reach the Copa del Rey final, but warned that overcoming Paris Saint-Germain is a different prospect entirely.
The Catalans went into Wednesday’s semi-final second leg against Sevilla as rank outsiders after losing the opener 2-0, but they fought back with goals from Ousmane Dembele and a last-gasp Gerard Pique effort to send the match into extra time.
Martin Braithwaite then struck to win the semi-final tie 3-2 on aggregate — and raise hopes that the 4-1 defeat PSG inflicted on the Blaugrana might yet be reversed.
“It’s easier to come back from 2-0 than to come back from 1-4,” Koeman told reporters after the final whistle.
“PSG have a great team and great players. We will start the game to win, to see if there is a chance to go through.
“I’m so proud of my team. I can’t ask for more, really. We have changed the mindset of the team.
“I wish we had lived it with 100 000 people at the Camp Nou … I hope that some Catalans can come to the final in Seville.”
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A second “Remontada”?
Barca, of course, have prior experience of bouncing back from a seemingly impossible position to prevail against the French giants.
In 2017, Luis Enrique’s charges looked dead and buried when they succumbed to a 4-0 thrashing at Parc des Princes in the last-16 first leg.
At Camp Nou in the return match, the Catalans moved within a single goal only to see Edinson Cavani strike to make it 3-1, leaving them needing three goals in just half an hour to progress.
But in one of the most scintillating finishes to a match in Champions League history, Neymar netted twice and Sergi Roberto popped up in the 95th minute to send Barca through with a 6-1 victory, winning 6-5 on aggregate.
That clash has gone down in club history as La Remontada (The Comeback), although Barca’s joy ultimately proved short-lived as they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Juventus. PSG and Barca complete their tie on March 10 at Parc des Princes.
— Goal
