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PARIS — Erling Braut Haaland's phenomenal display in Borussia Dortmund's 3-2 Champions League win over Sevilla on Wednesday was inspired by what he had seen the night before.

"I love the Champions League and when I saw Mbappe score the hat-trick yesterday I got free motivation, so thanks to him. It was a nice evening," Haaland said after scoring two goals and setting up his side's other in the first leg of their last-16 tie in Spain.

On Tuesday Kylian Mbappe's devastating hat-trick allowed Paris Saint-Germain to sweep away Lionel Messi and Barcelona in a crushing 4-1 win at the Camp Nou.

Messi had put Barcelona ahead with a penalty, but by the end his side looked forlorn, and it looks certain to be a sixth straight year without Champions League success for arguably the greatest player of his, and possibly any, generation.

This week's games in Europe's elite club competition have confirmed that for Mbappe and Haaland, the sport's two emerging young superstars, this is their time.

Not that time is exactly up for Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, who was unable to prevent Juventus losing 2-1 to Porto in Portugal.

Both remain world-beaters, but Messi is 33 and Ronaldo is 36. The Champions League's two all-time top goal-scorers, by some distance, are into the twilight years of their careers.

Jaw-dropping

Mbappe, who at 22 has already won the World Cup and got to the final of last season's Champions League, became just the second player to score a hat-trick against Barcelona in the competition at the Camp Nou.

The last was a 21-year-old Andriy Shevchenko for Dynamo Kiev, in 1997.

"Paris Saint-Germain have a future great, who is going to be on the same level as Leo and Cristiano," said Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann, a France team-mate of Mbappe.

In the first half against Sevilla, Haaland produced a jaw-dropping display of strength, pace, hold-up play and finishing as he helped Dortmund come from behind.

His brace left him with 18 goals in 13 Champions League appearances since the start of last season, with eight in six for Red Bull Salzburg and now 10 in seven for Dortmund.

The Norwegian, still 20, is on course at least to match Mbappe's record of 19 Champions League goals before turning 21. Haaland's birthday is in July.

"Goals since the start of last season in the Champions League: Messi and Ronaldo combined = 15. Haaland and Mbappe combined = 28," tweeted former England striker Gary Lineker. He described Haaland as "unplayable".

Haaland has scored 25 goals in 24 games in all competitions this season. Mbappe has a rather more modest 21 in 29.

Either way, those are figures worthy of Messi and Ronaldo in their prime, but the reality is that neither of those two were scoring at such a rate at such a young age.

Messi scored a mere eight Champions League goals before turning 21 and then taking off, netting nine in Barcelona's triumphant European campaign in 2008-09. Ronaldo did not score at all in the Champions League until he was 22.

Then again, neither has ever won the World Cup, while Mbappe is already a world champion.

Lewandowski still setting standards

Both Mbappe and Haaland are future Ballon d'Or winners. The former publicly stated that as his aim when he was just 14 and signed his first contract with Monaco.

He was already a target for some of Europe's biggest clubs even then. Now the speculation surrounds where Mbappe and Haaland could go next. The former is out of contract at the end of next season.

If the last decade has belonged to Messi and Ronaldo, the next decade looks destined to be that of Mbappe and Haaland.

As for the present, there is still Mbappe's teammate Neymar, a comparative veteran at 29. And then there is Robert Lewandowski.

The Pole was surely the big loser in the decision by organisers France Football not to award the Ballon d'Or in the pandemic-disrupted 2020.

Lewandowski has scored 85 goals in 76 games for Bayern Munich since the start of last season and has won six trophies in that time, including the Champions League and Club World Cup.

At 32, he is the one setting the standards for now.

BARCELONA — Kylian Mbappe ripped Barcelona apart on Tuesday by scoring a stunning hat-trick in a 4-1 rout to put Paris Saint-Germain on the brink of the Champions League quarter-finals.

Mbappe underlined his status as the rising superstar of world football with a ruthless display of finishing at Camp Nou that will go down as one this competition’s most devastating individual performances.

The 22-year-old eclipsed Barca’s Lionel Messi, whose opening goal from the penalty spot had been reduced to nothing more than a footnote by the final whistle.

Moise Kean also headed in midway through the second half, carelessly left unmarked from a free-kick as PSG pulled away to win this first leg, and perhaps the tie.

Barcelona will no doubt draw upon the spirit of their astonishing ‘Remontada’ in 2017, when they won the second leg 6-1 to overturn a 4-0 deficit from the opening game in Paris.

It will certainly serve as a warning for PSG but without fans, and with Mbappe, any hopes of a repeat for Ronald Koeman’s side from look faint at best.

Mbappe ran them ragged all night long.

“The great footballers write their stories in the biggest matches,” said Mauricio Pochettino. “We had no doubts before the game and even less now that we are seeing a top, top player.”

Koeman had gambled on the fitness of Gerard Pique, who had not played a game in almost three months due to a knee ligament injury. But to rub salt into the wounds, Pique trudged off late on just as PSG were running riot.

This was a chastening experience for Koeman’s youthful side, who had shown signs of a resurgence in recent weeks in La Liga but were exposed against an opponent of an altogether different class.

Koeman was even asked if he wanted to continue as coach but was defiant.

“I accept a defeat and go to work. If I was a person who was very happy when we win and then with a result like today said I have no desire to continue, that would be crazy.

“I know where we are, we have to change, we are not at the end of this road, we are halfway through.”

Even without the injured Neymar and Angel Di Maria, PSG were too strong, a breathless, entertaining first half giving way to a French obliteration in the second.

PSG’s new boss Pochettino pumped a fist at the end, after a huge early boost to his credibility.

Early warning signs

The warning signs for the hosts came early as Mbappe sped in behind their central defence after 52 seconds, only for Marc-Andre ter Stegen to clear just in time.

For half an hour, the chances just kept coming, at both ends. Antoine Griezmann scuttled through but was denied by Keylor Navas at the near post and then Pedri made up for a miscontrol by dashing back to prevent Mauro Icardi’s finish from trickling in.

Messi’s pass led to Barca’s opener, a clipped ball over the top attracting the gaze of Layvin Kurzawa as he tracked back and inadvertently tripped Frenkie de Jong in front of him. Messi slammed the penalty into the top corner.

PSG were briefly shell-shocked and for the next five minutes, Koeman’s men chased a second, with Messi freeing Ousmane Dembele in the area but he failed to connect. 

Yet as they gained in confidence, they also left gaps and PSG hit back. Mbappe had already seen a flicked finish blocked by Pique and moments later he made sure, taming Marco Verratti’s astute pull-back with one touch before feathering another expertly around Clement Lenglet in the six-yard box and unleashing past Ter Stegen. 

Now the Parisians were on top, with Kurzawa thwarted by Ter Stegen’s fingertips and Barca relieved to reach half-time. 

But Mbappe was relentless, motoring past opponents every time he got the ball and never letting up. Ter Stegen had to save a deflected shot from Kean before PSG took charge with two goals in five minutes. 

Pique could only hack away Alessandro Florenzi’s cross to the feet of Mbappe, who clipped in his second, and then Kean headed home, left free at the back post by Lenglet.

Navas almost gifted Barcelona a lifeline when his clearance met Griezmann’s left foot and the ball drifted just wide of his own post.

Instead, Mbappe landed the knock-out blow, teed up on the counter-attack and curling beautifully in the far corner.

PORTO, Portugal — Cristiano Ronaldo returns to his native Portugal for the first time as a Juventus player as his side face Porto on Wednesday with the Italian giants fighting to keep up with Europe’s most powerful clubs in the Champions League.

On the field Juve are still finding their feet under novice coach Andrea Pirlo but they crave European glory more than anything having lost five Champions League finals since last winning the trophy in 1996.

Off the pitch, meanwhile, their Chairman Andrea Agnelli is one of the leading figures behind plans to reform the continent’s elite club competition.

Agnelli, also the influential chairman of the European Club Association, has long been one of the main backers of a Champions League which guarantees access to an elite few and makes it harder for other clubs to gain entry.

Amid talk of a breakaway Super League which would undoubtedly feature his club, Italy’s richest and most successful, the 45-year-old has given his backing to an expanded Champions League starting from 2024 onwards, guaranteeing more matches and, ultimately, more money.

“I think it is our duty to think ahead and guarantee that football remains the best sport in the world,” Agnelli said recently, as he pondered the challenges of trying to ensure Generation Z doesn’t lose interest in the sport.

“Everything should be based on sporting merit, but we should remember where our fans of the future are. It is our strong view that more European matches are welcome.”

Juventus have dominated Serie A for the last decade without managing to win the Champions League. Porto, meanwhile, are the only club from outside the so-called “Big Five” leagues in this season’s last 16. Both are two-time European Cup winners.

For the Turin side, success in Europe this season appears even more important as their domestic domination shows signs of faltering under Pirlo with hopes of a 10th consecutive Scudetto in peril.

A 1-0 defeat at Napoli on Saturday left Juventus eight points adrift of leaders Inter Milan, albeit with a game in hand.

“This defeat will not bring us down,” insisted Ronaldo.

“Let’s raise our heads and think about the Champions League.”

Porto, meanwhile, have drawn their last four games domestically and are 10 points behind league leaders Sporting Lisbon.

Ronaldo versus Pepe

Juve’s hopes will be on five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo, the Champions League record goal-scorer with 134 goals, signed from Real Madrid in 2018 to deliver them the trophy.

Ronaldo faces a Portuguese team for the first time since 2016 when with Madrid he beat his former club Sporting 2-1.

But his last Champions League visit to the Estadio do Dragao dates back to a quarter-final, second leg in April 2009 with Manchester United.

The tie was poised at 2-2 after a tricky first leg at Old Trafford. 

But, six minutes in, Ronaldo gathered the ball 35 metres out to unleash a thunderbolt for the only goal of the game and send his side through.

Ronaldo has played 12 European games against Portuguese teams, split between Benfica, Porto and Sporting. He has four goals against them and as many assists.

“I expect to win but we know it’s going to be very tough,” Porto captain Pepe told UEFA.com.

The 37-year-old played alongside fellow Portuguese international Ronaldo at Madrid where they won three Champions League trophies together.

“In my opinion, they’ve got the best player in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo,” continued the Brazil-born defender. 

“I’ve never played against him. So we’ve our work cut out for us. 

“It will be a special match, more between Porto and Juventus than the one between Pepe and Ronaldo. 

“Porto have never yet beaten Juventus. I hope this can be the first time.” 

PARIS — Paris Saint-Germain knew what they were doing when they appointed Mauricio Pochettino as coach a little over six weeks before renewing their rivalry with Barcelona in the Champions League last 16.

Tuesday’s game at the Camp Nou will be the ninth between the sides in the competition in eight years. History is on Barcelona’s side, and in the era of the super club, going out in the first knockout round of Europe’s elite competition is potentially disastrous.

PSG’s exit at the hands of Barcelona at this stage in 2017 was certainly that, with an astonishing 6-1 second-leg demolition wiping out a 4-0 first-leg advantage.

But the Qatar-owned club responded to that humiliation in stunning fashion, by buying the architect of their downfall, paying Neymar’s release clause for a world record fee of 222 million euros ($264m at the time) in a move that caused consternation in the Catalan capital.

PSG’s hopes of gaining revenge over Barcelona on the pitch this time have been hit by the injury to Neymar which rules the Brazilian out of the trip to his old home, and could rule him out of the second leg on March 10 too.

However, the hope is that Pochettino can get the better of his old foes.

When it came to changing coach midway through this season, Pochettino was a natural choice to replace the sacked Thomas Tuchel in many respects.

He is a former PSG captain, and was a free agent having previously done an excellent job at Tottenham Hotspur.

‘Impossible to work for Barca’

Yet his relationship with Barcelona — or lack of it — also works in the Argentine’s favour.

The 48-year-old spent a large chunk of his playing career in Catalonia, but did so wearing the blue and white of Barcelona’s city rivals Espanyol. He was part of two Copa del Rey winning sides at Espanyol, in 2000 and 2006.

Pochettino then began his coaching career when he took over a struggling Espanyol team in early 2009. He quickly revived their fortunes and oversaw a 2-1 win over Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in the Catalan derby at the Camp Nou.

That remains one of the finest results of his managerial career, for all the sterling work he did at Tottenham, including taking them to the 2019 Champions League final. It also remains Espanyol’s only win away to Barca in the last 39 years.

He left in 2012, but the ties to Espanyol remain strong.

“I would prefer to go and work on my farm in Argentina,” he famously joked in 2018 when asked if he might ever coach Barcelona.

It was a theme he recently returned to during an interview with French broadcaster RMC Sport.

“I have a real affection for Espanyol. I spent 12 years there as a player, five as coach. Seventeen years of my footballing life,” he said.

“I have spent more time there than at any other club, and they gave me the opportunity to become a coach. That is why, given the big rivalry, it would be impossible for me to work for Barca.”

Still finding his feet

Yet for all that, Pochettino must know elimination at the hands of Lionel Messi and co. would be a huge setback for him so early into his reign in Paris.

He has won eight and drawn one of 10 games so far, but none of the teams he has come up against yet are near the level even of the current Barcelona.

The absence of Neymar is an enormous blow, especially when added to that of Angel di Maria. Marco Verratti is a doubt, and Pochettino is still trying to put his stamp on the team.

Kylian Mbappe, with four goals in Pochettino’s 10 games, has not consistently produced his electrifying best for some time. The new coach has chopped and changed formations too.

“We want the team to be confident playing in different systems, but it’s not always easy to get a lot of work done in just 40 days,” he insisted after Saturday’s win against Nice.

“We have to be ready, and the team will be ready.”

MADRID — Barcelona might not be able to catch Atletico Madrid but they may fancy their chances against Paris Saint-Germain after Lionel Messi scored twice in a 5-1 thrashing of Alaves on Saturday. 

Messi fired in two sensational long-range efforts and would have had a hat-trick at Camp Nou had a dubious VAR decision in the first half not ruled Antoine Griezmann offside. 

He did tee up a second of the night for the 21-year-old Francisco Trincao and was instrumental in Junior Firpo adding a fifth too, a flamboyant scoop freeing Griezmann to send a pass to Firpo at the back post.

“Leo is focused, he’s happy, he’s ruthless. When we play those passes through the lines to him and he finds those gaps, everything is easier,” said Ronald Koeman.

Victory means Barca trail Atletico by eight points again after the leaders temporarily pulled 11 clear thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Granada earlier on Saturday. 

Barcelona and Real Madrid have both played a game more than Atleti, with Zinedine Zidane’s side facing Valencia at home on Sunday. 

Atletico’s win was a significant psychological boost on the back of slipping up for the first time in nine games at home to Celta Vigo earlier this week. 

Their advantage may prove too big to close but Barcelona’s Champions League tie against PSG, which had the French side as firm favourites when the draw was made in December, now feels harder to call.

The question is whether a free-flowing Barca attack, full of talent and orchestrated by Messi, can hurt PSG enough to make up for what remains a shaky defence, depleted by injuries and vulnerable to the counter-attack. 

“We’re in good form,” said Koeman. “We keep creating chances and improving in all aspects of our game. PSG are a great team but I see the tie as very balanced. We go into it with confidence, knowing we need to be at our best to go through.”

With Gerard Pique and the emerging Ronald Araujo both out injured, Frenkie de Jong filled in again in central defence, although the Dutchman has arguably been Barcelona’s most improved player this year in the midfield three. 

Instead there was a start for Ilaix Kourouma in midfield, the 18-year-old academy product who assisted Trincao’s opening goal but whose misplaced pass led to Luis Rioja briefly giving Alaves hope. 

After Trincao had swept home, Messi thought he had made it two, pouncing on a rebound after Griezmann missed but the goal was ruled out, even though replays suggested Griezmann was onside. 

Messi made amends soon after, latching onto a Sergio Busquets pass, darting in-field and ripping a shot in off the post. 

Rioja capitalised on Ilaix’s mistake just before the hour but Barca pulled away with three goals in six minutes. 

Pedri’s pass freed Messi but he failed to round Fernando Pacheco and instead the ball spilled out for Trincao to score his second. 

Messi slammed a stinging strike into the top corner from 25 yards to make it 4-1 before perhaps the goal of the night came last, Messi scooping over for Griezmann, who volleyed to the back post where Firpo could not miss. 

Atletico had earlier swerved a second consecutive slip by squeezing past Granada at Los Carmenes, a victory secured by Angel Correa’s fortuitous winner in the second half. 

There was a hint of luck in Granada’s equaliser too, Yangel Herrera’s shot deflecting off Marcos Llorente, who had himself put Atletico in front only three minutes earlier. 

“The most important thing today was the fight and the energy of the team,” said Simeone afterwards. 

At the full-time whistle, he shook his fists and sprinted down the tunnel, his relief evident at the end of a game that could easily have seen more points dropped for his side. 

Luis Suarez had scored in six of the previous seven games but for once the 34-year-old was not the matchwinner, with Llorente and Correa — two unsung heroes this season — instead proving the difference. 

Llorente’s goal was his seventh of the season while his lay-off for Correa was his sixth assist. 

“As coaches trophies are wonderful because they fill you with excitement and glory,” Simeone said of Llorente. “But when you work with a footballer and see them grow, you feel even more joy and more enthusiasm to keep doing what you’re doing.” 

LEICESTER, United Kingdom — Liverpool crashed to a dismal 3-1 defeat at Leicester to leave their top four hopes in jeopardy after Alisson Becker’s latest blunder sparked a stunning collapse from the troubled Premier League champions on Saturday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side endured a third successive defeat which would appear to end any chance of retaining the title.

The calamitous nature of Liverpool’s late meltdown raises serious questions about their bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Mohamed Salah had given the Reds the lead in the second half at the King Power Stadium.

But James Maddison’s VAR-assisted equaliser was followed by a howler from away keeper Alisson, whose miscued clearance was converted by Jamie Vardy.

It was another miserable afternoon for Alisson following his two costly mistakes in last weekend’s 4-1 defeat against Manchester City.

“The first goal for me is offside. The difference is we think it’s an objective thing but it’s not. That’s something that has to change [with VAR],” Klopp said.

“The second goal is a misunderstanding obviously. It is a situation where we should shout and I didn’t hear anyone shout. It is not that cool.”

Harvey Barnes put the seal on Leicester’s superb comeback, leaving fourth-placed Liverpool languishing 10 points behind leaders City, who have two games in hand including one against Tottenham later on Saturday.

“The third goal I really don’t like. We are so open. I cannot accept,” Klopp said.

“The performance for 75 minutes or so was outstanding then we lost 3-1. That shows what a tricky situation we are in.”

While Klopp would privately concede that Liverpool won’t win the title, it is their top four place that he will be more worried about after the Reds were left with just two wins from their last 10 league games.

They could be as low as sixth place by Monday if Chelsea and West Ham win their games in hand.

The temperature was well below zero in the east midlands and Klopp’s 300th game in all competitions as Liverpool manager could not have been any more bitter.

‘Superb reaction’

Leicester climbed above Manchester United into second place after feasting on Liverpool’s problems.

“It was a very good win. We didn’t sink when we went a goal behind, we stayed calm and the players were brilliant in that period,” Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers said.

“It was a real collective team performance. You can see the improvement in the team’s mindset. Our reaction was superb.”

With Fabinho sidelined by a muscle injury, on-loan Schalke defender Ozan Kabak endured a Liverpool debut to forget.

Vardy had a golden opportunity to open the scoring when he got between Kabak and Jordan Henderson to meet Barnes’ cross, yet his header was too close to Alisson.

Picked out by Maddison’s sublime backheel, Vardy got in behind Henderson before smashing his shot against the bar.

Liverpool took the lead in the 67th minute when Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped over a cross and Roberto Firmino dragged it back to Salah with a superb piece of nimble footwork.

Salah guided Firmino’s pass into the far corner with a clinical finish from 15 yards for his 23rd goal of the season in all competitions.

Just as Klopp’s men looked back on track, they were unhinged by a VAR controversy.

Initially, Leicester were frustrated when VAR ruled that Alexander-Arnold’s challenge on Harvey Barnes was just outside the penalty area rather than inside it.

But Maddison ensured they wouldn’t rue that decision when he bent his free-kick into the far corner.

An offside flag went up against Daniel Amartey, but a VAR review showed Firmino’s foot had played the Leicester midfielder onside so the goal was given.

Klopp reacted with a frustrated laugh at the way fate had conspired against Liverpool, but the German was simply furious three minutes later.

Needlessly rushing out to deal with Youri Tielemans’ long pass, which could have been cleared by Kabak, Alisson collided with the defender and miscued his kick straight to Vardy, who couldn’t believe his luck as he slotted into the empty net.

Liverpool were in disarray and their misery was complete in the 85th minute as Barnes sprinted on to Wilfred Ndidi’s pass to fire past Alisson.