The 6-1 and the impossible comeback that culminated Sergi Roberto for Barça in 2017, the flight of Neymar to Paris paying the 222 million of the clause or so little time that it took PSG to welcome Messi when August 2021 she had to leave Barcelona in tears. The two clubs, antagonistic and facing each other, are left with outstanding scores. A nouveau riche and a cash-strapped one. Perhaps the State club par excellence – PSG has been owned by Qatar since 2011 – and such a traditional entity that it still belongs to its members.
Parisians and Barça fans are so at odds that Al-Khelaifi allowed himself the luxury of spending more than 300 million in the summer (Kolo Muani, Gonçalo Ramos, Ugarte, Lucas Hernández, Kang-in Lee, Dembélé, Barcola and Ekitike ), while Laporta was barely able to invest 3.5 million in Oriol Romeu. In other words, PSG, with money to give away, spent 100 times more than a Barça that counts every euro.
“Barcelona is a historic club, we respect it. We have faced them a lot in the past, with good and not so good moments”, recalled Marquinhos, the only survivor of the 6-1 along with Kimpembe and Kurzawa. “If we concentrate on our work, I am convinced that we can do great things,” said the PSG captain.
Despite the fact that Leo is in Miami and Ney ended up in Riyadh, Luis Enrique is coming home, a legend who left a very good name as a coach, to the point that the board still likes him. Ousmane Dembélé will also be reunited with what was his team in the last six seasons. And perhaps the match will be the first big favor that Kylian Mbappé can do for Madrid.
Paris Saint-Germain is the only group second in the quarter-finals. It’s true that he suffered in a tie against Milan, Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund, but Barça knows from experience that, when Lucho’s teams get going, they don’t stop. They are now 23 matches without losing, more than four months, since November 7 against Milan.
The Parisians dominate Ligue 1 as they please. They are leaders with 10 points ahead of Brest and can win the tenth domestic league in the last 12 seasons. But the big goal since Qatar landed is the Champions League, where they have never been crowned. They were one step away in 2020 in Lisbon.
It’s been almost seven years since Luis Enrique left. May 27, 2017 was the last time Lucho sat on the Barcelona bench. It was in a King’s Cup final against Alabès that his team won 3-1. Of the current footballers in Xavi’s squad, there are only Ter Stegen and Sergi Roberto who were under Luis Enrique, in addition to the Terrassa coach himself.
Mbappé, who is expected to live the classics in the white shirt from next season, will be the big threat. In the round of 16 tie in 2021, the last meeting between the two, the French star scored four of the Parisians’ five goals: three at the Camp Nou and one, from a penalty, in the second leg at the Parc des Prínceps. Of the six visits, Barça have only won in Paris in 2015 (1-3).
The forward’s speed, power and intimidation will be a test of height for Cubarsí and Araújo. Mbappé, who wants to say goodbye in style after announcing that he will not renew in June, can also get the Madrid fans to forgive him for letting them down the first time if he takes Barça out of Europe. The striker has 35 goals (three in Real Sociedad out of eight) in 36 games this season.
Dembélé, who played (and well) as a false nine in San Sebastián but has only scored 1 goal in 32 games, and Luis Enrique are not the only ones to return, as Arnau Tenas signed after being released from the summer Other old acquaintances are Carlos Soler, Fabián Ruiz and ex-Madridista Marco Asensio, who also arrived for free.
Despite the big investment, PSG may have problems in defense. Central Skriniar is injured and right-back Aixraf misses the first leg due to suspension. Luis Enrique can delay the Zaïre-Emery lane, from the 18-year-old squad. PSG not only wants to sign, but also to train, even if it does not lack cash.
