Football: Paris Saint-Germain break Atalanta hearts in Champions League

Neymar celebrates with Eric Choupo-Moting after the former Stoke striker's winner in the third minute of stoppage time. Photo / AP

After a night of frustrating misses, Neymar finally found a way to come through for Paris Saint-Germain.

The world's most expensive player helped set up two late goals as PSG staged a stoppage-time comeback to beat Atalanta 2-1 in football's Champions League quarter-finals in Portugal.

Relief for the Brazilian, who has often been criticised for failing to lead the big-spending French club to Europe's most coveted trophy. Agony for Atalanta, who had been so close to reaching the semifinals in a remarkable debut season in the Champions League.

The Italian club on a modest budget had led through Mario Pašalic's curling strike in the 27th minute.

But Neymar set up Marquinhos for the 90th-minute equaliser and was involved in the build-up to Eric Choupo-Moting's winner in the third minute of stoppage time. That goal meant PSG returned to the last four of European football's elite after a 25-year absence.

"I never thought we'd be back home tomorrow," Neymar said. "At every moment, we just went for one thing: progress to the last four."

The substitutes helped transform PSG's fortunes — first with Kylian Mbappé's arrival with 30 minutes remaining and then Choupo-Moting 20 minutes later.

"When I came on I thought 'I can't lose'," said Choupo-Moting, whose high, diagonal pass reached Neymar on the left flank in the 90th minute. The Brazilian's scuffed shot was turned in by Marquinhos. Atalanta were stunned, PSG re-energised.

It was another run by Neymar that unpicked a tiring Atalanta before feeding Mbappé, who squared across for Choupo-Moting to slide the ball over the line.

It was a painful collapse for Atalanta, ending an improbable run in a season when the team's home city of Bergamo had been among the hardest hit regions of Europe from the coronavirus.

The lack of access to the stadium could not deter Atalanta fans flying from northern Italy to the Portuguese capital, even if it was just to cheer for the fleeting moments when the team bus passed beneath them. They will have another chance next season. A second consecutive third-place finish in Serie A gives Atalanta a return ticket to the Champions League.

The pandemic meant the quarter-finals are not being played home and away, but as single games in neutral Lisbon with no second chances.

- AP