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Barcelona went through to the semi-final of the Champions League thanks to a Neymar brace, but he wasn't the only youngster showcasing his skills. PSG’s Marco Verratti was right in the middle of the action battling the likes of Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta in midfield.
Although the French side did not score any goals, there was one moment of magic when the 22-year-old Italian kept the ball while four Barcelona players tried to close him down. First Busquets tried to dispossess him with a tackle which Verratti rode successfully. He then skipped past Luis Suarez with supreme ease.
The Uruguayan wasn't done yet and both he and Lionel Messi tried to ‘double-team' the Italian who escaped the pressing move with one deft touch. He then sold Rakitic a dummy and lobbed the ball to find Blaise Matuidi in the box who couldn’t do much with the chance presented.
But the Camp Nou crowd roared their approval whenever Verratti escaped a challenge and eventually applauded after his lob to Matuidi. Appreciation from rival fans is common in Spain and reserved for the players who do something truly special!
