The Champions League Matchday Three features multiple interesting games, but one is set to be its definite crown jewel: PSG vs. Barca. On Tuesday, FC Barcelona is set to face Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes. The match has been long awaited, and with teams this strong, it promises an evening of great football. The question on everyone’s minds is: who will end up coming out on top?
No matter who they are facing in the Champions League, PSG always comes into the game with the mental advantage of being the current European Champions. Thus far, it has helped them win both games they have played. They began the European tournament by crushing Slovan Bratislava 6-1 at their home stadium. After the international break, the first victory was followed up with a second, this time a 2-4 away win against the current leaders of the Premier League, Manchester City.
PSG’s form in their home competition is not quite as stellar. Although they are second in the standings and tied in points with the leading Lyon, their season has left a lot to be desired. They’ve collected 14 points across seven games, winning four times, drawing against Lille and Rennes, and losing to AS Monaco. What’s important to note is that since the start of the Champions League season, they have been on a six-game winning streak. This could suggest that the disappointing run at the start of the French Ligue 1 was just a fluke during the post-World Cup warm-up.
Barcelona is also sitting at six points in the Champions League table. They are second, behind PSG only, with the exact same goal difference of plus seven across the two games. Their European showing began with a 5-1 win against the Dutch Feyenoord. It was followed up with a 1-4 comeback against Galatasaray.
Unlike in the case of PSG, Barca’s showing in their home league has been just as impressive as their performances in front of the Champions League audience. They have won all nine games they have played so far in La Liga, always by at least a two-goal margin. Having come together after the World Cup, the players were quick to find a rhythm that now strikes fear into the hearts of all other Spanish teams. Their impressive performances secured them a spot at the top of the league, five points ahead of the runners-up, Atletico Madrid.
In a game of this caliber, no score is impossible. Neither team is coming into the match as the clear favourite. PSG have the home advantage. On the other hand, Barcelona’s perfectly clean track record this season is nothing to scoff at. There is also, of course, the added factor of Ferran Torres, a rather familiar threat for the players dressed in blue and garnet. Although it isn’t certain whether he will be a part of the starting 11, having someone so familiar with Flick’s team could serve as quite the advantage for the French.
I believe that the PSG vs. Barca showdown will end in a victory for Barcelona, although one not nearly as dominant as the ones their fans have grown used to over the course of the season. Blaugrana likes to play aggressively, scoring much more than many of the other top teams, but at the same time conceding multiple goals in nearly every match. This style, if not managed properly, can prove deadly against a team as skilled as PSG.
This won’t be a game with a single goal scored over the course of the 90 minutes. We are much more likely to see a match in which the ball hits the net time after time, letting the teams keep an even pace until one delivers the final blow. If I were to predict the final score, I would say a 2-3 victory for Barcelona.
No matter what the final score will be, PSG Vs. Barca is bound to be an incredibly entertaining game. With two teams as great and as hungry for the win, nothing will be off the table. There is a big chance that whoever comes out of the game victorious will become the leader of the Champions League. So, will it be the reigning champions, or the team that hasn’t been able to win the competition since 2015?
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