Barcelona are back on the scene of their famous ‘Remontada’ against Paris Saint-Germain as the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal beckons.
Luis Enrique returns to his former club for the first time but there will be no time for sentiments as a Last Four spot against Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund awaits.
There are eerily similar circumstances to that UEFA Champions League Round of 16 in 2017 when Barca secured an emphatic 6-1 victory after a 4-0 deficit from the away leg. If either of these teams rock up to Barcelona with a first-leg advantage, a turnaround is still very possible.
Although PSG got sweet revenge with a 5-2 aggregate win over the Blaugrana in the 2020-21 Round of 16 thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick, both sides have had decent campaigns so far and this particular clash should be more balanced in terms of the quality between them.
Xavi has his sights set on a fairytale ending to his tenure in the hotseat which would go well alongside last season’s La Liga title victory. After finishing top of Group H ahead of Royal Antwerp, Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk, Barcelona advanced to the Round of 16 against Napoli.
Following an unbeaten start to the league campaign, Barca got their UCL adventure up and running with a 5-0 thrashing of Antwerp. Results kept on coming as they also delivered three points on Matchdays 2 and 3 against Porto and Shakhtar.
The late defeat in the first El Clasico of the season preceded a 1-0 loss in the next UCL game away to Shakhtar, but a win over Porto confirmed a knockout spot as the Matchday 6 defeat to Antwerp didn’t hamper their top spot in Group H.
Whilst they remain within eight points of league leaders Real Madrid, Barca overcame Napoli 4-2 after two legs and they will be confident in their chances for the rest of the season.
A knockout tie against PSG is not a given, especially considering their own European form in recent years, so Barca must be cautious and harness the energy from their home crowd in the second leg.
Indeed, it is set to be an exciting game between two vibrant teams filled with attacking quality and there is no doubt that this would be a high-scoring encounter.
Xavi is set to leave his role come the end of the season and there is no better way to leave for the second time on a high than with a place in the semi-final.
PSG have a 12-point lead in Ligue 1 and the Parisians look on course to secure their 12th league title with their focus now firmly on the European Cup in Mbappe’s swansong.
There were two wins, as many draws and a defeat from their first five league games but the UCL campaign began with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund. It was a disastrous outing in the 4-1 defeat at Newcastle but PSG only won the next five games including a 3-nil at home to AC Milan.
The Italians exerted revenge in the next game which opened up a hotly contested Group of Death, but PSG got two more draws to see them through as runners-up on goal difference.
Mbappe was the star of the show during their Last 16 tie with Real Sociedad by scoring three of the four goals in their 4-1 aggregate victory, he will also be instrumental against Barcelona.
They must be at their best to halt Xavi’s side who are facing the same man that led them to that unforgettable Remontada night.
The departure of star names such as Sergio Ramos, Marco Verratti, Neymar and Lionel Messi has led to the rebuild of a younger PSG squad albeit still with lots of experience in the form of Marquinhos, Milan Skriniar and the irrepressible Mbappe.
PSG boss, Luis Enrique, was the mastermind behind Barca’s last UCL triumph in 2015 but he may have to endure a hostile reception here.
Match tickets
This exciting second leg of the UEFA Champions League Quarter-final clash takes place on Tuesday, 16 April 2024 with kick-off scheduled for 8 PM UK time. Match tickets are available for sale on the website of both clubs with allocation guaranteed for season ticket holders and registered members who can order tickets through a ballot system.
The game takes place at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys due to the renovation of Barcelona’s regular Camp Nou, but there will still be fantastic support there. Xavi’s men have won all of their UCL games at the 54,000-capacity arena this season so they would be hopeful of another victory.
Given that it is a must-see match, the demand for tickets is already overwhelming but we urge traveling supporters looking for Barcelona vs PSG tickets to make their search on a ticket resale site.
Team news
The likes of Gavi, Alex Balde, Ferran Torres, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Joao Cancelo are out injured at the time of writing but you can stay tuned for more fitness updates.
PSG have Sergio Rico, Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe, Milan Skriniar and Marco Asensio all unavailable but a few of them should have returned for this game.
Line-ups
Despite the reliance on academy youngsters due to the many fitness issues, Barca may have to depend on experienced pros like Robert Lewandowski, Ilkay Gundogan, Frenkie de Jong and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Cancelo; De Jong, Christensen, Gundogan; Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha
Enrique has gradually settled into his preferred PSG team that boasts the quality and experience required to win but with doubts over their ability to get the job done.
Mbappe is the undoubted key man and his pace, trickery, creativity and finishing ability will be crucial for PSG to get anything out of this tie.
Paris Saint-Germain: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Hernandez; Ruiz, Ugarte, Vitinha; Dembele, Kolo Muani, Mbappe.
Prediction
Barcelona are slight favourites due to being at home but that is dependent on the scoreline from the first leg. PSG have lost twice on their European travels this season which is worrisome for a game that could get emotional in the latter stages.
Enrique and Xavi are sure to serve an interesting tactical battle and it is up to one of their teams to step up to the opportunity.
Barcelona 3-2 Paris Saint-Germain
