Paris Saint-Germain has drawn FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. This is the first time these two clubs have met in the knockout stage since 2021. Marquinhos was one of the players on that team that advanced past the Spanish team.
Ahead of the first leg, the Brazilian defender spoke with PSG TV and reacted to the matchup. In his first initial remarks, Marquinhos recalls the Parisians’ past encounters against Barcelona.
“The Champions League draw is always a special moment,” Marquinhos said (h/t Paris Fans). “FC Barcelona is a historic club, a team to be respected. They are an opponent we have faced many times in the past, with both good and not-so-good moments. We will prepare ourselves in the best possible way.”
Furthermore, the veteran defender noted the approach the capital club needs to take to advance past the La Liga side and punch their ticket to the semifinals.
“I think there’s no clear favorite in this matchup,” Marquinhos added. “It’s going to be important to study our opponent to understand how they play, but our focus is primarily on ourselves. We’ve shown our strength and values during these two good performances against Real Sociedad.
“Now, we need to keep working. I believe the coach will also want to address some details that could make a difference by then. We must continue [and] concentrate on our work, and I’m convinced that we can achieve great things.”
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.
