By Neel Shelat
A thirteenth assembly in as a few years
Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have been fairly well-acquainted with one another lately. Of their 15 earlier conferences, all however three have been performed since 2013, and each single a type of has been within the UEFA Champions League.
The Spanish giants have a slight higher hand within the Champions League head-to-head file with 5 wins, 4 losses and three attracts. Nevertheless, they have been the losers within the final two ties – each within the 2024 quarter-final and 2021 Spherical of 16. So, their final mixture win over PSG got here in March 2017 on a well-known evening at Camp Nou, which has been subsequently immortalised as La Remontada.
No showdown between Ballon d’Or frontrunners
PSG and Barcelona’s attacking stars completed first and second within the newest Ballon d’Or, as Ousmane Dembélé got here away with the award whereas Lamine Yamal needed to make do with simply the Kopa trophy. Nevertheless, as their two groups face off simply over per week after the ceremony, they won’t be having a showdown on the pitch.
The French ahead isn’t anticipated to return till after the worldwide break resulting from his hamstring harm, so he’s positive to overlook this match. Lamine Yamal solely returned from his groin harm on the weekend and made a telling contribution off the bench, however his minutes may properly stay restricted this week.
Lengthy harm checklist
Moreover the 2 big-name forwards, there’s a sizeable checklist of absences for this match.
Barcelona are as soon as once more present process a mini-crisis within the goalkeeping division as Marc-André ter Stegen was not too long ago joined by summer season signing Joan García on the sidelines, so Wojciech Szczęsny will begin and Diego Kochen will function a backup after being recalled from the Below-20 World Cup. Attackers Raphinha and Fermín López stay unavailable, whereas Gavi isn’t anticipated to be again till the brand new yr following his newest setback.
The guests’ captain Marquinhos and younger ahead Désiré Doué are each positive to take a seat this sport out, whereas midfielders Vitinha, João Neves and Fabián Ruiz in addition to winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are all listed as uncertain. So, they might properly find yourself fielding fairly a depleted line-up.
A stern take a look at for PSG’s new signings
Having gained the treble with one of many youngest squads in Europe final season, Paris Saint-Germain didn’t see a must do a lot within the switch window. They simply made a few signings, changing Gianluigi Donnarumma with Lucas Chevalier from Lille and bringing in Illia Zabarnyi so as to add some youth and depth to the fitting centre again place.
Each of them are set to start out in opposition to Barcelona, so this can be their first critical defensive take a look at in opposition to an opponent of equal calibre.
Prediction
Neither facet goes to be at full power, however that ought to not hold us from being handled to a cracking contest. Each assaults ought to have sufficient high quality to get on the scoresheet, however Barcelona may simply have sufficient to edge out a slim win.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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