Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona Picks and Predictions
The aggregate scoreline obliges Barcelona to push up the pitch in search of goals, and that gives PSG the chance to hit them on the break. With the pace they have up front, the Ligue 1 side look well-positioned to take full advantage.
Pick:
PSG to Win (+105)
How to Watch Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona
| Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona Information | |
| What | Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona |
| Where | Parc des Princes, France |
| When | Wednesday, 10 March 2021, 3.00 PM EST |
| How to watch | Univision, TUDN, Paramount+, fubo TV |
PSG ran riot at the Camp Nou last month, leaving Barcelona with a mountain to climb in the second leg. Any team containing Lionel Messi cannot be ruled out, but PSG can take advantage of the visitors’ desperate situation by sitting back and then breaking forward at speed on the counter-attack. Back Mauricio Pochettino’s side to triumph at odds of +110.
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Kylian Mbappe the Star of the Show as PSG Dismantle Barcelona
There was only one name on everyone’s lips after the first leg of this tie: Kylian Mbappe. The France international delivered a coming-of-age performance at the Camp Nou last time out, scoring a sensational hat-trick to inspire PSG to a 4-1 win. Barcelona simply could not contain the 22-year-old, who is widely regarded as a future Ballon d’Or winner and, along with Erling Haaland, the heir to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Mbappe is at his most dangerous in phases of transition when possession of the ball is turned over and one team is out of its defensive shape. The World Cup winner took full advantage of such situations in the last match with Barcelona, whose backline could not deal with Mbappe’s speed, footwork, and invention.
It was not a one-man show in Catalonia, though. Moise Kean also found the net, although the Italian has since returned a positive test for COVID-19 and will play no part in the return fixture. Marco Verratti was almost as impressive as Mbappe in his own way, while PSG were solid at the back against Messi and co.
Of course, beating Barcelona in the last 16 and then suffering elimination in the quarter-finals will not be good enough for Pochettino’s side. PSG needs to win the Champions League sooner rather than later, but their performance at the Camp Nou last month was undoubtedly one of the best in the club’s relatively short history.
Barcelona Are in Good Form Domestically but the Deficit Is Too Big
Barcelona have been mired in crisis for much of the season, but things are starting to look up for the La Liga giants. For a start, they finally elected a new president on Sunday, as Joan Laporta won the race to become the permanent successor to Josep Maria Bartomeu. His election has raised hopes that Messi will sign a new contract with the club, with the Argentine having made his Barcelona debut during Laporta’s first spell as president between 2003 and 2010.
On the pitch, the Blaugrana have also made strides forward. Just last week they overturned a 2-0 deficit from the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final with Sevilla by winning the second installment 3-0. That will give them some hope going into Wednesday’s showdown with PSG, as will a run of nine wins in their last 10 matches in La Liga.
Perhaps surprisingly, PSG have been nowhere near as consistent as Barcelona domestically, yet they demonstrated their superiority in the first leg. This could be down to motivation: PSG sometimes struggles to get themselves up for Ligue 1 contests, but in the big games in the Champions League that is not an issue.
PSG Can Take Advantage of Space on the Counter-Attack
In 2017, Barcelona came from 4-0 down in the first leg to advance to the next round of the Champions League with a sensational 6-1 triumph over PSG. However, it will be more difficult to overturn this deficit. Barcelona are weaker now than they were four years ago, and the French side are stronger. Moreover, the second leg is being played at the Parc des Princes this time, rather than the Camp Nou.
Barcelona will have to come out in search of an early goal, as the near-impossible would surely become fully impossible if they are not ahead at half-time. That could play into PSG’s hands. Neymar could be fit enough to start this game, and he and Mbappe possess pace in abundance. If Barcelona leaves space behind their defensive line – something they will surely do as a result of their need to score at the other end of the field – PSG have the players to make them pay.
Pochettino is an astute coach, and he will know that his team do not necessarily need to dominate possession to win this match. Barcelona may attempt to make a fast start, but over the course of the 90 minutes, PSG have the quality to record another victory over Ronald Koeman’s men.
