PSG Faces Uphill Battle as They Aim to Overcome Barça in Champions League Second Leg

Let’s start with the negative. So far, no French team, including PSG, has qualified for the next round of the Champions League after losing the first leg at home. Not necessarily reassuring for Kylian Mbappé and his teammates, beaten in the quarter-final first leg by Barça (2-3) last week and therefore forced to perform in Catalonia, Tuesday evening (9 p.m.), to avoid another disappointment European.

With a week of rest – no match this weekend in L1 unlike Barça in La Liga – PSG must therefore win by two goals to qualify directly or by one goal to play extra time. Far from impossible, especially against a team which nevertheless seems within its reach. And Luis Enrique also assured that his team could, and would, reverse the trend.

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The result (of the first leg) does not reflect what we would have deserved

“This second match is a little different,” he declared at a press conference. “We haven’t played since the first leg, we’ve had time to analyze and observe our mistakes to improve our performance. The result was not what we deserved, but we got this result. We are convinced that we will turn things around. (…) We hadn’t lost in 27 games. It was the least desired day. We must get up and improve. We must not exaggerate this defeat, we must accept it. prepare to have a good performance tomorrow. We want to give pleasure to our supporters.”

For the Spanish coach, his team must now “get up” and “improve”. “After a defeat, obviously, the two days after the match were difficult,” added Luis Enrique. “We have difficulty finding our physical and mental state at the time. But there is another match, against the same rival. We know what we want to do and we’re in a good place (…). We fall, we get up again. It’s high-level sport. prepare our game plan. And I repeat, we are ready (…). All the players on my team want to win. Everyone who is part of PSG has never been able to qualify after having. lost on the way out, but tomorrow (Tuesday) we will do it.”

For this, Paris, which had not lost since November 7 against AC Milan (1-2), will need profound readjustments, a great Kylian Mbappé and a more solid Gialuigi Donnarumma in Catalonia to hope reach the semi-finals, which the club has not reached since 2021. Will Tuesday be the big day?

2024-04-15 17:02:00
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