Paris Saint-Germain will face FC Barcelona on Wednesday night at Parc des Princes for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
PSG come into this game on the back of a 1-1 draw against Clermont Foot. Gonçalo Ramos scored a late winner to secure a point for the Ligue 1 giants. Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembélé, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Lee Kang-in, and Vitinha were all rested against Clermont Foot.
Barcelona secured a narrow victory in their last match against Las Palmas. Raphina scored the only goal of the game and was assisted by João Félix, who came in as a sub. Robert Lewandowski had three shots but was unable to find the back of the net.
Do you see Luis Enrique winning against his former side, FC Barcelona?
PSG vs. Barcelona Preview
PSG
Paris Saint-Germain sits very comfortably on top of the Ligue 1 table. With 63 points and a ten-point cushion over second-place Brest, PSG are certain to win the Ligue 1. They have a massive 41-goal difference and have lost just once in the Ligue 1 this season. Since joining PSG, Luis Enrique has done an excellent job in their attack and ensured the departure of Lionel Messi and Neymar had no negative effect on the team.
In the UEFA Champions League this season, Kylian Mbappe has found the back of the net six times. Kylian Mbappe has proven to be a formidable force against Barcelona in the Champions League, with only Thomas Muller and Andriy Shevchenko scoring more goals than he has done against them.
Barcelona
La Blaugrana travel to the Parc des Princes on the back of an 11-match unbeaten run. This sequence includes a massive 3-1 victory over Napoli in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie. Barcelona have won their last four fixtures, keeping a total of three clean sheets in these four games. However, they are second on the Laliga table, trailing leaders Real Madrid with a whopping 8 points.
Robert Lewandowski has found the back of the net 20 times in his last 40 appearances. The veteran striker has the skills and experience to cause PSG a lot of problems. João Félix and Ferran Torres both have 3 goals each in the Champions League. If Barcelona were to win, they would look to any of these three stars.
PSG vs. Barcelona Starting Lineups
PSG: Donnarumma (GK), Zaire-Emery, Marquinhos, Milan Škriniar, Nuno Mendes, Lee Kang-in, Manuel Ugarte, Vitinha, Ousmane Dembélé, Gonçalo Ramos, Kylian Mbappe
Barcelona: Ter Stegen (GK), Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsí, Ronald Araújo, João Cancelo, Frankie De Jong, Ilkay Gündogan, Fermín López, Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha
PSG vs. Barcelona Head-To-Head
PSG and Barcelona have played 12 times against each other in the Champions League, with the head-to-head record well evened at four wins apiece and four draws. However, their last two encounters were in the Round of 16 in 2021. That year saw PSG advance against Barcelona as the French side were able to get a dominating 4-1 win at Camp Nou. Then in the next match, they held Barca to a 1-1 draw.
Injury Report
Presnel Kimbepe continues to be sidelined with an Achilles tendon rupture. Nordi Mukiele suffered a head injury against Clermont Foot and is a doubt for this fixture.
Barcelona are still without Alejandro Balde, Pedri and Gavi. Andreas Christensen and Frenkie de Jong are back to training with the team, so they might feature in the match.
About the Author
Aside from writing, Oladimeji has spent his entire life devoted to playing and watching sports of all kinds. From Soccer to Tennis to NBA and NFL, Oladimeji follows it all. By his writing, he aspires to engage others in conversation and spread knowledge.
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