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Barcelona are looking like a strong side again, but their Champions League failures in recent years remain a concern. Their performances have improved considerably this season, and their winning streak since the start has put them among the favourites for the title. The real test comes against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday (IST).
Luis Enrique’s side has been dominant in Europe in the last couple of seasons and will aim for a third consecutive Champions League crown. With both teams favouring attacking football, the meeting at Parc des Princes could turn into a high-scoring contest.
When: Wednesday (12:30 AM IST)
Where: Parc des Princes, Paris
What: Champions League, league phase
Who: Defending champions PSG versus five-time winners Barcelona
Streaming: SonyLIV
TV Telecast: SonySports Network
PSG wins: 6
Barcelona wins: 5
Draw: 4
Form guide
Barcelona: WWWWW
Latest: Barcelona beat Real Betis 5-2 in La Liga.
PSG: WWWWW
Latest: PSG beat RC Strasbourg Alsace 3-1 in Ligue 1
Managers speak
Luis Enrique, PSG manager:
“The best way to stop Lamine Yamal is to keep the ball away from Barcelona. If he cannot get the ball, everything is calm. That would be ideal, but we know it won’t be the case because it is difficult to play against Barcelona and Lamine Yamal. The way to defend a team with their quality is to be wary and approach it as a team. But it’s not just Lamine. There’s Raphinha, Pedri… there are a lot of top players.”
Hansi Flick, Barcelona manager:
“Tomorrow is a test. We’re playing against one of the best teams, if not the best. It will be an opportunity to show our level and how far we can go. After this match, we’ll know a lot more. He (Luis Enrique) has won two Champions League titles in a row, and his team has played fantastic football. He’s an excellent coach, one of the best.”
Key players
Ousmane Dembele (PSG)
Enrique manages his star players carefully in Ligue 1 to keep them fresh for the Champions League, which is why Ousmane Dembele has played just 237 of the 630 possible minutes in the league. The expectations will be much higher in Europe, especially against Barcelona, his former club. A fresh Dembele is one of the most dangerous players in world football right now. He has netted 4 goals and provided 6 assists in 9 matches across competitions this season so far.
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
Lamine Yamal has kicked off this season on a flying note. Following Spain’s World Cup win, his performance hasn’t dipped at all; it’s actually gone a notch higher. He has 9 goals and 10 assists in 11 games this season across competitions. With Raphinha set to return to the starting XI, Yamal will partner him at the front to trouble PSG’s back line and is once again expected to be a major figure in Barcelona’s line-up for the mega clash.
