Angel Di Maria was at his absolute best, Paris Saint-Germain were at their ruthless best and Barcelona were thoroughly bested by PSG in a Champions League showing to remember for the French side on Tuesday.
Knowing a big first leg lead would be needed to quell the impending Barca Camp Nou storm, PSG turned on the style in their own backyard, giving everything their fans would have dreamed of and more.
Di Maria, on his 29th birthday, finished with a brace and Julian Draxler and Edinson Cavani, another birthday boy, added one each as PSG thumped Barcelona, with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar and all, 4-0 in the last 16 first leg.
In the other game of the day, Benfica edged Borussia Dortmund 1-0 in Portugal, with the profligate German left to rue a penalty miss from their striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Kostas Mitroglou was the lone goalscorer in the game and now Dortmund have a difficult task at hand at home if they are to continue their Champions League sojourn this season.
"It was a tasty victory for sure," Benfica coach Rui Vitoria said. "Speaking of justice after a game like this is tricky. I agree that Dortmund is a strong opponent and that they had the best of this game.
"We lacked something in the defensive process during the first half, but changed at halftime. Besides that, we analysed that set-pieces could be a way of hurting Dortmund and it worked.
"The game at Dortmund will be difficult, but we will have something to say.
"There are things we can improve. We fought, gave our best, and victories are also made of that."