Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona will meet in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. This will be the first encounter between these two clubs in the knockout stage since 2021.
Ahead of the first leg, Rafael Yuste, vice president of Barcelona, spoke with CANAL+ about the draw and gave his initial thoughts on the matchup. He noted that there’s no favorite between the two teams as it’s an even tie.
“Paris Saint-Germain is a top team, led by a renowned coach whom we are very familiar with,” Yuste told the French media outlet (h/t Paris Fans). “They boast a squad filled with highly talented and young players of global significance. Expect two spectacular matches, considering our styles of play.
“There’s no clear favorite, it’s a 50-50 chance. We’ll need to show a lot of respect for the opponent and the desire to qualify.”
Furthermore, on the PSG side, veteran defender Marquinhos provided his remarks on how he sees the matchup playing out. The Brazilian has been involved in clashes in the knockout stage in the past, so he probably knows what to expect.
The winner of this matchup will face either Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund, so a victory will have PSG or Barcelona on a clear path to the final in London. Furthermore, the two-leg tie will see PSG manager Luis Enrique face his former club, and it also marks the return of Ousmane Dembélé.
