Apr 16, 2024, 2:10 p.m. ET
The Catalan team seeks to return to the Champions League semi-finals after five years, arriving with a 2-3 advantage over PSG.
This Tuesday, Barcelona has the opportunity to qualify for the Champions League semi-finals five years later and reconcile with a cursed competition in recent seasons against a rival, the Paris Saint-Germainwho visits the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium with a thirst for revenge after the defeat in the first leg (2-3).
Not even the most optimistic would have predicted on January 27, when Xavi Hernández announced his resignation as Barcelona coach, that the Barça team would be available to access the pot of the four best in Europe.
Since then, Barça has not known defeat. They have added ten wins and three draws, although the most relevant aspect in the last thirteen games is that they have recovered the defensive solidity that allowed them to win the last league. Marc-André Ter Stegen has conceded nine goals since Xavi announced that he was leaving the bench at the end of the season.
Barcelona seeks to return to the Champions League semifinals after five years. EFE/EPA
That maturity in the rearguard was one of the keys to the match played at the Parc des Princes. Barcelona conceded two goals, but was able to neutralize Kylian Mbappé, who barely created any danger due to the excellent defense of aids put forward by Xavi Hernández.
The Egarense coach will once again line up the centre-back trident formed by Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo and Pau Cubarsí, with Joao Cancelo as a deep back on the left.
Sergi Roberto and Andreas Christensen, two key players in Barça’s resurrection, are suspended, so Xavi will bet on Pedro González ‘Pedri’, who a week ago was discharged from his latest muscle injury.
At the top of the attack, Raphinha, protagonist in the first leg with two goals, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal maintain the title. On the bench, Joao Félix, scorer of the goal that gave Barcelona the victory this weekend in Cádiz, will wait for his moment.
It will be a very different scenario to that of seven years ago, when Barcelona overcame the 4-0 they had conceded at the Parc des Princes with a rout (6-1) in their stadium. The word “comeback” then entered the French dictionary. Now, Luis Enrique’s forces travel to take revenge and for the concept to finally turn to their benefit.
Last Wednesday’s defeat was not part of anyone’s plans in Paris and has left the entire club’s mechanics in disarray.
Luis Enrique, who knows the rival’s home and the recipe for a comeback well, comes hopeful to achieve the right, which they consider appropriate to be among the four best on the continent.
Reasons for hope? The first, he recovered the right back Achraf Hakimi, suspended in the first leg, which caused a spiral effect that ended up disturbing the entire defense. The Moroccan, who is being one of the best of the year, provides offensive entity and will be another threat for the Catalans.
The second is that all of Paris, including the 3,000 fans who sit in the stands of Montjuic, are counting on recovering the best version of Kylian Mbappé, transparent in the Parc des Princes, but from whom they expect a reaction so that this Tuesday It won’t be his last European game with PSG.
The coach will also be able to count on the young Bradley Barcola, whose departure in the second half last Wednesday gave more dynamism to the attack along with Mbappé and Ousmane Dembelé, who will return to the city where he played for six seasons.
What are the Barcelona and PSG lineups for the return leg?
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Cancelo; Gündogan, De Jong; Pedri, Raphinha; Lamine Yamal and Lewandowski.
Paris SG: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Mbappe, Fabian Ruiz, Dembele, Vitinha, L. Hernandez, Nuno Mendes and Barcola.
What time is the Barcelona vs PSG Champions League match?
Date: Tuesday, April 16 Time: 1:00 p.m. CDMX / 3:00 p.m. ET
