The atmosphere has been poisonous for years, and the recent clash between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona revives all the animosity.
“More than a rivalry,” was the headline in France’s sports paper “L’Équipe” one day before the first leg in the Parc des Princes in Paris on Wednesday (9 p.m./DAZN). “More than an elimination game” was what “Sport” said in Spain.
There are reasons for this, and they are closely linked to world-famous names such as Neymar. But this also has sporting reasons.
Quarterfinals of the Champions League
Wednesday, April 10th, 9 p.m.: PSG-Barcelona, Atletico Madrid-Dortmund
Tuesday, April 16, 9 p.m.: Barcelona-PSG, Dortmund-Atletico Madrid
Wednesday, April 17th, 9 p.m.: Bayern-Arsenal London, Manchester City-Real Madrid
SEMIFINALS
April 30/1. May and 7th/8th May
The defeat against Barça in the 2016/2017 Champions League season is still painfully burned into the memory of the French capital club. PSG defeated the Catalans at home 4-0 on February 14, 2017. But it was a historic humiliation for the Parisians: FC Barcelona won 6-1.
The fact that the Catalans tried to bring in the then PSG top performer Marco Verratti in the same year, but in return PSG lured Brazil’s Neymar away from FC Barcelona for the record sum of 222 million euros, caused some observers to finally break between the two clubs .
Last chance for the title for Barcelona
The guests from Barcelona have been waiting for the next Champions League title since their triumph in 2015. In the Primera División, the team is eight points behind arch-rivals Real Madrid, and defending their title is almost a thing of the past. In the Copa del Rey they were eliminated in the quarter-finals. Coach Xavi Hernandez wants to vacate his position after the season anyway.
PSG, meanwhile, leads Ligue 1 by ten points and is also in the final of the French Cup competition. The Parisians suffered their last defeat to date on November 7th last year with a 2-1 defeat in the Champions League at AC Milan. “We are having an incredible series at the moment, very positive. But we want to extend it,” announced coach Luis Enrique.
For Kylian Mbappé it will also be an introduction to what awaits him if he moves to Real Madrid. Before that, he wants to lead PSG to their first triumph in the European championship.
Hot dance in Madrid for Dortmund
The opponent is considered merciless, the coach is fanatical and the atmosphere in the Estadio Metropolitano is heated. For Borussia Dortmund, the first quarter-final duel in the Champions League against Atlético Madrid will be the ultimate test of nerves.
Karim Adeyemi expects an unpleasant task in the Spanish capital on Wednesday (9 p.m./DAZN): “They don’t care how they play. The main thing is that they win.” Similar to the attacker, BVB coach Edin Terzic also started the trip with respect: “We know that they are extremely good, especially in knockout games.”
Similar to Borussia, the “Rojiblancos” around the charismatic and hot-blooded coach Diego Simeone no longer have anything to do with the title race in the domestic league.
(kurier.at)
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10.04.2024, 5:00
2024-04-10 03:52:32
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