Paris Saint-Germain already knows their rivals for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. The capital club will face a familiar foe in FC Barcelona, the fourth time in eight years the two clubs have seen each other in the knockout stages.
The teams will have to wait until February 16th to play the first leg at Camp Nou and then meet in the second leg at Parc des Princes on March 10th. After the draw, Leonardo, PSG’s sports director, spoke to RMC Sport about the double European match against FC Barcelona:
“In recent years, we have played a lot against FC Barcelona (2012-2013, 2014-2015, and 2016- 2017). It is a team with a great tradition, it will not be easy for the round of 16, but it is always the same in the Champions League. To get to the end, when you have an important goal, you have to play against teams of that level. It will be a great Champions League match again in the round of 16,” Leonardo said.
“In the Champions League, the important moment is when you play. We are doing the draw now, but we will play in February in two months. It will depend on how we get there and the situation at the time. When you talk about two games at home and outside the Champions League with teams of this level, it is always very difficult and very important. We feel ready to face Barcelona.”
The sports director also mentioned that for Neymar, it would be a special reunion.
“I think it’s normal that around a game like this, there are always stories. But when you play the match, it is still a PSG-Barcelona. But, normally, we talk a lot about things related to this match. And it is normal that, for Neymar, with his career at FC Barcelona (2013-2017), it is something special.”
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