Football: Will Barca sensational win induce baby boom?

Barcelona's Andres Iniesta celebrating with Gerard Pique after Paris Saint-Germain's Layvin Kurzawa scored an own goal. PHOTO: REUTERS

BARCELONA (AFP) - Defender Gerard Pique predicted a baby boom in the Catalan capital following Barcelona's sensational 6-1 thrashing of Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

Sergi Roberto scored five minutes into stoppage time to cap the biggest Champions League comeback of all time from a 4-0 first leg defeat to reach the quarter-finals 6-5 on aggregate.

"I would say to the hospitals of Barcelona to hire nurses," said Pique, who has two children with Colombian pop star Shakira.

"Tonight people will make a lot of love."

Dramatic, late Champions League goals have a history of causing a spike in the birth rate in football-mad Barcelona.

Andres Iniesta's famous stoppage-time equaliser to see the Catalans through a highly controversial semi-final against Chelsea in 2009 is credited with a 50 per cent rise in the number of babies born around nine months later.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.