Paris St Germain's Angel Di Maria was at his vintage best as he scored twice on his birthday in a 4-0 demolition of Barcelona in their Champions League last-16 first leg game in Paris.
PSG winger Angel Di Maria. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Argentina winger scored in each half with PSG's Germany midfielder Julian Draxler and Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani also finding the net as the French champions tore apart a disorganised Barca side who have it all to do in the return.
PSG, eliminated by the Catalans in the Champions League quarter-finals in 2013 and 2015, were the more aggressive side at the Parc des Princes and have put themselves in a commanding position ahead of the March 8th second leg at the Camp Nou.
Five-times European champions Barca have not exited in the last 16 since going out to Liverpool in the 2006/07 season.
Benfica beat a misfiring Borussia Dortmund 1-0 in the first leg of their last-16 tie in Portugal thanks to forward Kostas Mitroglou's 13th goal in his last 13 games.
Greece international Mitroglou flicked the ball into the net to open the scoring in the 48th minute as Benfica, who have now not conceded a goal at home for 383 minutes, prevented the competition's best attack from scoring.
Dortmund, who had netted a record 21 times in the group stage, missed a second-half penalty through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who also squandered several other scoring chances on a night to forget for the Gabon striker.
The two sides will meet in Dortmund for the second leg on March 8th.
-Reuters
