Since the 6-1 loss to FC Barcelona in 2017, Paris Saint-Germain set out to build a squad capable of competing with the Spanish giants in the UEFA Champions League. They took Neymar Jr. from them and added Kylian Mbappé. They also added role players like Leandro Paredes and Moise Kean who would compliment their superstars.
On February 16, PSG went to the Camp Nou for a rematch in the Round of 16 of the Champions League and proceeded to dominate Barcelona by a score of 4-1. PSG’s superior talent was on display and on the latest 1970 podcast, we discuss how Mauricio Pochettino led his team to one of the most famous victories in club history.
Joining me on the show as always is Marc Damon and we begin by sharing our overall thoughts on the match. The scoreline and performance were a surprise due to the simple fact that Neymar was out injured and he had become intricate to PSG’s offense. He is the player who unlocks defenses and allows Kylian Mbappé to be special. Without the Brazilian, all eyes were on Mbappé, and boy did he deliver by scoring a hat-trick.
When it comes to talent, we agree that PSG probably isn’t quite at the level of Manchester City and FC Bayern Munich depth-wise, but Les Parisiens have two of the top five players in the world and no one else can say that. With Pochettino now at the helm, if he can continue to get the most out of Idrissa Gueye, Julian Draxler, Layvin Kurzawa, and others, PSG could be a team no one wants to face in the latter stages of the Champions League.
In terms of the game itself, we talk about the ridiculous penalty decision given to Barcelona when Frenkie de Jong went down in the box after inadvertent contact with Kurzawa. I think the call was egregious while Marc believes while unfortunate, the decision was correct.
PSG Talking Podcast: Did Paris Saint-Germain Kill Barcelona?
Later in the show, we discuss whether Neymar should play in the return leg if he’s not fully healthy and what PSG’s mindset should be heading into that match. You’ll also hear us talk about the passing of Paredes and Kean’s incredible form since arriving via loan from Everton.
As always, thank you for listening, and be sure to subscribe and rate the show wherever you download your podcasts. You can also show your support by visiting Manscaped.com and using the code PSGTALK at checkout for 20% off and free shipping.
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