FC Barcelona bow out in their Champions League semi-final showdown with PSG

This season's UEFA Women's Champions League campaign is over for FC Barcelona, just short of their dream of reaching the final. There was to be no comeback following a 3-1 first-leg defeat in which Paris Saint Germain were superior to the Azulgranas. Vero Boquete and Irene Paredes' side ran out 2-0 winners at the Parc des Princes to become the first side to qualify for this year's Champions League final.

The Barcelona players and coaching staff had said, at the pre-match press conference, that their objective was to play better than they had in the first leg. Gemma Gili came into the starting XI for Mariona Caldentey, for the only change to the team that took to the pitch in the first leg, as Xavi Llorens' side kept PSG at bay for 55 minutes, mainly thanks to an impressive performance by goalkeeper Sandra Paños, and managed something they had failed to do in the first leg: threaten the French side's goal.

You have taken the Barça Women's team further than ever before. Thanks @fcbfemeni for exciting us all with your football. Carry on! https://t.co/d8XiXup3G2

— Josep Maria Bartomeu (@jmbartomeu) April 29, 2017

However, a penalty put an end to any hope of a comeback ten minutes into the second half. Sabrina Delannoy slotted her spot-kick past Sandra Paños. Then five minutes later, Irene Paredes doubled PSG's lead when she latched onto a clearance by Miriam Dieguez. Patri Guijarro, Barbara Latorre and Aitana Bonmati came on for Marta Unzue, Gemma Gili and Vicky Losada, but the game ended 2-0.

After reaching the semi-finals for the first time in the club's history, the Azulgranas say goodbye to this season's Champions League. After playing in front of 10,352 fans at the Miniestadi, and then 13,935 at the Vicente Calderon, the game at the Parc des Princes attracted an impressive attendance of 19,192. Barcelona will now shift their focus to the Liga Iberdrola, where they are challenging for the title, and where the top two teams will qualify for next season's Champions League, a competition in which FC Barcelona have already made history.