Wednesday 15 April 2015

Paris Saint-German v Barcelona


Paris Saint-Germain will be spurred on by the memory of their agonising Champions League exits in the last two seasons when they host Barcelona in the first leg of their quarter-final on Wednesday.

The clubs meet at the Parc des Princes with the French champions desperate to make it to the last four after being dumped out of the competition on away goals to Barcelona and Chelsea in the quarter-finals in each of the last two seasons.

It will be the third time that the two sides have met in the competition this season after each recording a win over the other in Group F.

But their 3-2 win against the Catalans in Paris in the group stage, and the character they showed to beat Chelsea on away goals in the last 16, in light of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s first-half dismissal, suggests they have what it takes to make the leap forward this time. 

Asked if the thrilling win against the Catalans last September could be used as a reference point, PSG coach Laurent Blanc responded: "It is one of many games we have looked at to prepare this match.

"We have looked at what we need to do and what we need to avoid doing. We can draw lessons from that game, because we won it and are one of the only sides in Europe to have scored three goals against Barcelona.”

Barcelona have won 30 of their last 34 games in all competitions, but a nine-game winning streak came to an end in a 2-2 draw at Sevilla on Saturday.

The result at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium illustrated both the good and the bad of Barca, as they stormed into an early lead before surrendering two points late on.

Having lost in Paris in September, Barcelona claimed revenge, and top spot in Group F, by winning 3-1 at the Camp Nou in December.

Messi, Neymar and Suarez all scored after Ibrahimovic had put the visitors ahead, and now the Parisians must work out how to avoid conceding a potentially crucial away goal against the potent Barcelona front three.

PSG will be without three key players for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona.

Already without the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Laurent Blanc has injury concerns over centre-backs Thiago Motta (thigh) and David Luiz (hamstring), while midfield lynchpin Marco Verratti misses the clash through suspension.

Barcelona have no fresh injuries concerns for the trip to Paris, with long term absentees Thomas Vermaelen, Jodri Masip, Douglas and Rafinha all set to miss out.


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