Neymar produces career-defining performance as Barcelona complete greatest European comeback

Lionel Messi, left, and Neymar celebrate after Barcelona defeated Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 at the Camp Nou to advance to the Uefa Champions League quarter-finals. Quique Garcia / EPA

Barcelona 6 (6) Paris Saint-Germain 1 (5)

Barcelona: Suarez (3'), Kurzawa (40' og), Messi (50' pen), Neymar (88', 90'+1 pen), Sergi (90'+5)

PSG: Cavani (62' minutes)

Neymar hailed the best game of his career after Barcelona pulled off the greatest comeback in Uefa Champions League history by scoring three goals in the dying minutes against a stunned Paris Saint-Germain.

The Brazilian scored an 88th-minute free kick and a penalty in the 91st before setting up Sergi Roberto’s clincher in the fifth minute of injury time, sealing it 6-1 as Barcelona overturned a 4-0 first-leg deficit.

The result, which sparked delirious celebrations at Barcelona’s 99,000-capacity Camp Nou stadium, sent the Spanish giants storming into the quarter-finals at the cost of the stricken Paris club.

Luis Suarez opens the scoring for Barcelona. Albert Gea / Reuters

“This is the best game I have ever played. For what it meant, for what we experienced and because I am in great form,” Neymar told beIN Sports.

“I know that we have made history. A team like this can do anything.”

The sensational win recalled Manchester United’s injury-time double to win the 1999 title against Bayern Munich in the same stadium, and Liverpool’s victory in the 2005 final after being 3-0 down to AC Milan at half-time.

“It is a difficult night to explain with words,” said Barca manager Luis Enrique, who will leave the club at the end of the season.

Layvin Kurzawa scores an own goal as Barcelona lead 2-0. Josep Lago / AFP

“It was a horror movie, not a drama, with a Camp Nou that I have seen very few times as a player or coach.

“What defines this victory is the faith that the players and fans had.”

But the defeat raised questions over the future of PSG manager Unai Emery, as club president Nasser Al Khelaifi ominously called it “very hard to accept”.

“This is a nightmare for everybody. Is Unai Emery still credible? This is not the moment to talk of this. After the game, we are all upset,” Al Khelaifi said.

Lionel Messi scores a penalty to put Barcelona 3-0 ahead. Sergio Perez / Reuters

Despite Luis Suarez’s early opener, a Layvin Kurzawa own goal and Lionel Messi’s penalty, Barca looked down and out when Edinson Cavani volleyed home what seemed to be the vital away goal for PSG.

However, Neymar restored Barca’s belief as he firstly fired home a sensational free-kick two minutes from time and then converted from the penalty spot.

And substitute midfielder Roberto became the unlikely hero when he stretched to turn home Neymar’s sublime chip over the defence, leaving the score 6-5 on aggregate as the crowd dissolved into ecstasy.

Edinson Cavani scores to pull one back for Paris Saint-Germain. Albert Gea / Reuters

“I threw myself at it with everything,” Roberto told beIN Sports. “We left Paris very down and now this is incredible.

“We were prepared for all this. The fans were like 10 extra players and in the end this is all for them.”

Neymar puts Barcelona 4-1 ahead. Albert Gea / Reuters

Midfielder Ivan Rakitic said Barca had defied the critics after their first-leg humiliation in Paris three weeks ago.

“It’s crazy. After Paris, many people spoke hard about our team but tonight was special, we made history,” the Croatian told BT Sport.

“We know we are the best team in the world.”

Neymar scores his second from the penalty spot to give Barcelona a 5-1 lead. Lluis Gene / AFP

As well as staying on course for a sixth title, the 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015 European champions set a new record by reaching their 10th straight quarter-final.

Emery admitted his team went to pieces in the final minutes, but said they were badly affected by the two second-half penalties given by German referee Deniz Aytekin.

“In the second-half it changed. The (Messi) penalty got them off to a great start, but I was already calmer because I could see the team was responding better, were better positioned on the pitch and could do damage,” Emery said.

Sergi Roberto scores the winning goal to send Barcelona to the quarter-final. Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images

“We had chances to make it 3-2 and then the refereeing decisions, I don’t know if they were right or not, but for sure they damaged us. Then in the last two minutes we lost everything we had recovered in the second-half.”

* Agence France-Presse

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