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#3 Returning Gerard Pique fails to make his presence felt upon return for Barcelona
Gerard Pique has been out of action for Barcelona since suffering a serious knee injury against Atletico Madrid on 21 November last year.
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The former Spain international is unarguably one of the best defenders of his generation, and Ronald Koeman was forced to field inexperienced defenders in his absence.
Pique's return to full fitness came in handy as Barcelona squared off against one of the biggest sides on the continent. Koeman drafted the World Cup winner straight into the starting lineup in a bid to provide much-needed guidance to the backline.
This, however, failed to happen, as the Barcelona defence was breached time and again with consummate ease. The 34-year-old continually failed to track the run of Kylian Mbappe, while his weak clearance put the ball on a plate for PSG's second goal.
#2 Lionel Messi fails to turn up when it matters most once again
Lionel Messi opened the scoring on the night but that proved to be his only notable contribution in the game.
For the rest of the fixture, the Argentina international was largely on the periphery and failed to work his customary magic on the PSG defence.
To make matters worse, the Rosario native was dispossessed in the buildup to the visitors' fourth goal. His lack of application in trying to win the ball back highlighted his disinterest in the game.
The Barcelona captain came into this game having scored a brace in the 5-1 demolition of Alaves last weekend. However, this has been a major stick with which detractors have beaten him this season.
It is one thing to score braces and have a hand in four goals against the Eibars and Granadas of this world with nothing at stake. However, it is an entirely different ball game to step up to the plate when it matters most against the biggest clubs on the continent.
His relative no-show against PSG adds to the growing list of elite sides that Lionel Messi has failed to make a mark against. He has drawn blanks in open play against Juventus, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla this season.
Lionel Messi's status as a bonafide game-changer is not in doubt but with his Barcelona teammates struggling around him, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner failed to provide the spark needed.
#1 Kylian Mbappe steps up to the plate in the absence of Neymar
While Messi floundered for Barcelona, Kylian Mbappe picked up the goalscoring mantle in the absence of his marquee teammates.
PSG came into this clash without the services of Angel di Maria and Neymar due to injury. Both men are integral parts of the club's attacking force, and the visitors were significantly weaker without them.
Kylian Mbappe is widely regarded as the best player of his generation and a future Ballon d'Or winner in the making. However, the last year has not gone to plan for the Frenchman, particularly on the continent.
He had earlier gone nine games without a goal in the UEFA Champions League before breaking his drought in the final group game last year.
The clash with Barcelona offered him the opportunity to remind everyone of his abilities, and he did so with consummate ease. Mbappe ended the game with a hat-trick and proved to be a difference-maker amidst several world-class players.
The World Cup winner stepped up to the plate when it mattered most at one of the most hallowed grounds in continental football.
His brace made him the first visiting player to score two UEFA Champions League knockout goals at Camp Nou.
His hat-trick saw him become only the third player to score a UCL hat-trick against Barcelona, after Faustino Asprilla for Newcastle and Andriy Shevchenko for Dynamo Kyiv (both in 1997).
It also saw him become the third-highest goalscorer in PSG's history, which is rather significant considering that he joined the club less than four years ago.
His feat was made all the more impressive considering that Neymar and Angel di Maria were not available.
If anyone was in doubt about Mbappe's abilities, his performance against Barcelona served as a timely reminder of why he is regarded as the heir to the Messi-Ronaldo throne.
