While although two former Southampton managers squared off at the Camp Nou, the setting was far greater than a mid-table clash at St Mary’s. Instead, the meeting of Ronald Koeman and Mauricio Pochettino was saved for the preserve of the Champions League.
With Koeman being installed as Barcelona’s new manager at the start of this season and Pochettino drafted into PSG before the turn of the year, both men will have been handed the remit of securing the Champions League trophy come the end of the campaign.
Something that looks like an impossible job for the man in charge of Barcelona, as after the first leg of this Round of 16 pairing, PSG find themselves, not just in the ascendancy but with one foot in the last eight of the competition.
After missing out at the final hurdle just a few months ago, the French giants are now looking to go one better and after their recent change of managerial personnel, they possess someone who also came close to reaching the promised land.
Pochettino oversaw the Tottenham team that lost to Liverpool in the 2019 final and those Spurs fans would have been in a state of envy last night, as the Ligue 1 outfit made light work of their La Liga counterparts.
Of course, PSG did not have it all their own way in Catalunya, as Barcelona found themselves in front and although there was an element of contention to their first half penalty award, technology eventually confirmed that the right on-field decision was made.
A decision, that saw Lionel Messi granted the opportunity to score from 12 yards and after whipping the ball past Keylor Navas in the PSG goal, the hosts found themselves with a reward for their early attacking efforts.
However, that would prove to be the high-water mark in Barcelona’s evening and from there, it seemed as if the coronation of football’s new king had taken place, as Kylian Mbappe reminded everyone that the next generation of the game is his.
Soon after Barcelona took the lead, PSG would restore parity and although Mbappe would find his name on the scoresheet for the first time, it would be the sublime touch of teammate Marco Verratti that unlocked the opposition defence.
A neatly worked PSG move, saw the ball land in the box and at this point, Verratti’s deft touch played in the wonderkid. Admittedly the 2018 World Cup winner still had plenty to do before scoring, but such efforts looked rather easy, as he slammed the ball into the net.
While arguably the turning point of the tie, was his second goal after the interval and with the 22-year-old smashing home from 10 yards, Barcelona were left rather despondent in the empty chasm of their magnificent stadium.
That despondency would only get worse five minutes later, as on-loan Everton forward Moise Kean would head home to swing the tie further in PSG’s direction and with still plenty of time remaining, the demolition job was far from over.
With Barcelona looking to salvage the evening, they surged forward in large numbers and with their attack breaking down, they were left exposed at the back. Step forward Mbappe, as he was given the freedom of the Camp Nou and eventually curled home to complete his hattrick.
Three for the former Monaco forward and the match ball for his efforts, four for PSG and on this evidence, there is no reason why Mauricio Pochettino cannot quickly add the conquering of Europe to an already impressive managerial C.V.
