Barça's first round of the Champions League quarter-finals against a PSG side that feels like favour

Published:9/04/2024 - 20:14h

Updated:9/04/2024 - 20:14h

FC Barcelona have everything to make a splash against PSG. The Catalans arrive at a time of great regularity this season, trying to maintain that defensive solidity that they have recovered in recent weeks

Since the draw of quarter-finals of the Champions League 'decided' that the FC Barcelona would find with Paris Saint-Germain remained clear that it would be an eliminatory with a lot of tension and of very first level, and in the previous of the meeting of gone this situation has not done more than increasing. The presence of Luis Enrique in the bench Frenchman, the problems between directives by the signings of Messi or Neymar, has all to the maximum for a party that this Wednesday to the 21:00 hours could leave to a team already with a foot in semifinals.

The meeting arrives already in a stage more than decisive of the season, something that the own Xavi Hernández has left clear in press conference, ensuring that "it arrives the decisive hour, the important stretch. We are in front of two or three weeks that will be decisive", ensured the míster. Reason does not be missing him to the egarense if we take into account that the Barça could remain with the empty hands by this season from this 10 April until the next 21, when it will confront to the Real Madrid by LaLiga.

It is thus that the Catalans need to show now more than ever that yes they are smart to give this so key step in the course, especially to European level. The group culé needs to move away once again his 'ghosts' to continental level, something that already did in the phase of groups and eighth of final, where advanced like leader of group and later surpassed widely to the Naples in the phase of the 16 better, especially in the party of turn.

It is clear that the Barça will need to be very concentrated

Surely thus Xavi has left clear that "the states of form are key in the alignment that will take out", commented, opening the possibility to that it can put the best XI possible on the field, although showing that it will not leave carry only by names, as it is the case of the doubt between Frenkie of Jong, Sergi Roberto and Fermín López. In fact, the Catalan aimed on the first two that "varied little because we visualise a lot of duels, offensive and defensive. We value more how it arrives the footballer. It is a party to be to 100% to physical level", commented.

The technician of the Barça aimed that "they will tighten us the 90 minutes" and surely that can be the best summary of an eliminatory that will initiate this Wednesday in Paris, a place where the culés will be subjected to a pressure tremenda, especially of part of the local public. The ultras Parisian have left clear that will try incomodar all the possible to a Barça that it has to avoid, between other a lot of things, a goal against in the first minutes of this duel.

The PSG will try to give another hard hit to the Barça in Europe

Players like Mbappé and Dembélé are an authentic threat, but the Barça also has it in footballers like Lamine, Lewandowski and Gündogan, by what seems that it will be a party, and an eliminatory, that will define more in both areas that in the centre of the field, something that one could think in principle with two teams trained by Xavi and Luis Enrique. In fact, the Asturian in press conference this Tuesday wanted to take out breast by his DNA Barça, even leaving him a 'stick' to his excompañero.

"Without any doubt, I. Look the data and the titles, the possession, the high pressure… Without any doubt I, although there will be people that think the contrary. It is not opinable, are the data", ensured Luis Enrique with regard to if it represents better or no the style of football of the Barça. Now, the trainer of the Frenchmen will have to show it on the field, especially needing win by two or more goals for really arrive with some favouritism to the party of turn in Lluís Companys.

An environment that will be very complicated for the Barça

Finally, it is necessary to highlight in the previous of this first 'round' the communiqué that splits of the fans of the PSG published, tildando of "despicable" to the Catalan group, to the that consider favoured by the referees and arengando to all the fans to that they encourage as never to do of the stadium a hostile environment. Besides, the foundation To the Azaim, bearer of messages of the Islamic State, lit all the alarms, sharing an image in which the terrorist organisation promises an attacking in the headquarters of the parties of gone, by what adds a factor besides for this duel.