Barcelona are on the brink of clinching their first Champions League semifinal berth since the 2018-19 season as they prepare to host Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
La Blaugrana carry a slender advantage following a thrilling 3-2 victory in the first leg in Paris, thanks to Raphinha’s brace and Andreas Christensen’s late winner.
Since Xavi announced his decision to step down as head coach at the end of the season, the Catalans have been in excellent form. They have gone unbeaten in 13 games across all competitions, with 10 wins during this impressive streak.
Despite hopes of convincing Xavi to stay, the focus remains on finishing the season strongly, with Barcelona still in contention for two trophies.
Raphinha was the standout performer in the first leg, scoring twice, while Andreas Christensen netted the winner in the 77th minute, giving Barcelona a 3-2 advantage going into the second leg at the
Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Montjuic.
Barcelona’s recent Champions League history has been disappointing, with early exits in the past two seasons and a quarterfinal defeat in 2018-19.
Their last Champions League triumph came in 2015 when they defeated Juventus in the final.
Although Barcelona hold the overall head-to-head advantage against PSG, with six wins to the Parisians’ four, they suffered a 4-1 defeat to PSG in their last meeting in the first leg of the round of 16 in February 2021.
The Culers head into this match after a 1-0 win over Cadiz in La Liga, with four consecutive league wins.
However, Real Madrid maintain an eight-point lead over second-placed Barcelona in La Liga standings ahead of their upcoming El Clasico clash.
On the other hand, PSG has not played since the first leg, with their last Ligue 1 match ending in a 1-1 draw against Clermont, leaving them comfortably at the top of the Ligue 1 table.
The Champions League is the coveted trophy for PSG, with another Ligue 1 title almost secured.
A win in the Champions League would be a fitting farewell gift for Kylian Mbappe, who may leave the club at the end of the season.
PSG’s journey in this season’s Champions League has been a mix of struggles and successes. They finished second in the group stage before defeating Real Sociedad in the round of 16.
Their recent Champions League history includes a semifinal appearance in 2020-21 and a final appearance in 2019-20, but they have also faced early exits in two of the last three seasons.
Barcelona and PSG are on the favorable side of the draw, and the winner of their tie will face either Atletico Madrid or Borussia Dortmund in the semifinals.
Xavi’s side will be without key players Gavi and Alejandro Balde due to long-term injuries while Joao Cancelo, Inigo Martinez, and Robert Lewandowski return from suspension.
However, Christensen and Sergi Roberto are suspended for this match.
PSG will be missing Presnel Kimpembe, Layvin Kurzawa and Sergio Rico due to injury, with Nordi Mukiele’s availability uncertain due to a head injury.
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