Champions League: PSG, have no regrets

Beaten at the Parc des Princes in the first leg last Wednesday, Paris will aim to create the feat on Barça’s field on Tuesday, in the C1 quarter-final second leg.

Special envoy to Barcelona

Impossible mission ? After their 2-3 defeat against Barça in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League last Wednesday in Paris, Luis Enrique’s players have only two options: the feat or the door. No choice, they will have to win at the Monjuic stadium (60,000 seats), where the Catalan club is playing during the work on the Camp Nou. One goal difference to go to overtime and penalties, two or more to go to the half. The data is clear. The Parisians passed “two difficult days after this setback which put an end to a series of 27 matches without defeat, says Luis Enrique. “A top athlete must know how to get up. We are ready“, he says.

It would be an achievement, because FC Barcelona, ​​a moribund time, is not as bad as some imagined, with high-level individuals (Lewandowski, Ter Stegen, De Jong…) and a regained form (6 success in a row). On the PSG side, we know well that the Rouge et Bleu are less dashing on the road, like their matches away from the Park during the C1 group stage (defeats to Newcastle and Milan, draw to Dortmund), even if they won during their last European trip to date, on the pitch of Real Sociedad (1-2), in the 8th, and they also got the better of OM (0-2) at the Vélodrome recently, in the championship. Opponents of lesser caliber…

Read alsoChampions League: Why PSG can dream of a comeback in Barcelona

Luis Enrique, any more surprises?

In any case, the main objective of the Parisians will be to leave Barcelona without regrets, mastering the parameters they can control, having the feeling of having done everything, tried everything, of having put all the ingredients on the table. table. And if possible, without individual error. Everything that cost the victory in the first leg. This is true for the players of course, but also for Luis Enrique, who once again made people talk about… his creativity when composing his 11. A little too much… « These are surprises for you, not for me. I see them training, not you », squeaks the Spanish technician. The return of Achraf Hakimi, suspended on the outward leg, will prevent him from tinkering on the right. There is no doubt that this time he will avoid leaving Warren Zaire-Emery on the bench. To see if Ousmane Dembélé will start on the right or in the center.

Despite the errors of « Fought », the bankruptcy of Lucas Beraldo, the discretion of Kylian Mbappé and the mistakes of Gigio Donnarumma, Paris, with good adjustments from its coach, was not far from leading 3-1 after returning from the locker room. Bradley Barcola hit the bar. Dembélé, the post. Alas, mistakes are paid for in C1, especially those of the goalkeeper. « The last two goals, we must avoid them. Especially at a time when we were good »Marquinhos plague. « The final result does not reflect the match », promises Luis Enrique, who has had plenty of time to refine his plan since the first leg, knowing that the LFP had allowed European clubs to take a break last weekend. The Barcelonans took the three points in Cadiz (0-1) on Saturday, Xavi having made a large turnover for the occasion.

The Catalan coach notably played Andreas Christensen and Sergi Roberto, suspended for the return match. On the PSG side, Luis Enrique recovers Achraf Hakimi, suspended in the first leg, and Nordi Mukiele. Note that Dembélé, Lucas Hernandez, Milan Skriniar, Manuel Ugarte and Vitinha would miss a possible semi-final first leg, against Atlético or Dortmund, in the event of a warning this Tuesday evening. Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araujo, Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres and Joao Felix are under threat for Barça.

Read alsoPSG: Kylian Mbappé, revenge or the door

PSG have never qualified after losing at home in the first leg, we will.

Luis Enrique

Obviously, no one bet a cent on PSG in the C1 final at the start of the season. Not many people anyway. A younger, more collective PSG, looking towards the future. New project. All without forgetting that future starter Kylian Mbappé is not in the best position. Nevertheless, the draw and recent performances have raised hopes of a fantastic end to the season, in addition to the title already promised in Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France final.

The mistakes in the first leg, however, had a nasty taste of déjà vu and flashbacks. It is up to the Parisians to rectify the situation this Tuesday, giving emotion and pride to their supporters. That would be the sign that Paris has entered into a « new era ». An elimination would call into question neither the project nor the future of Luis Enrique, but the latter is banking on the Coué method, there is no question of thinking of anything other than victory, qualification: « PSG never qualified after losing at home in the first leg, we will »he insists, “convinced» with a favorable outcome. « We arrive with a lot of desire, we can’t wait for it to start », breathes Hakimi. He is certainly not the only one…