UEFA Champions League preview: Paris Saint-Germain v. FC Barcelona
The most coveted club’s trophy in the world returns for the beginning of the knockout phase, and what a way to kick it off! Paris Saint-Germain and FC Barcelona will square off in Paris, two teams that know each other pretty well for having met at several times the past few years. Although FC Barcelona remains favorite to move on, PSG has arguments and will try to derail the Spanish armada.
Coach PSG Emery previews:
“I think the two sides know each other very well now. We have observed them a lot and analyzed their play. I’m sure they have watched us too. It’s always a great privilege to contest a match like this. These are two great sides, two great teams with lots of individual talent. The key will be to win the challenges, the duels, both as a team, and as individuals. Tactics will be important, of course, but it is the players that will make the difference on the pitch.
We have watched several Barcelona matches. There are solutions to beat them, but we will play with our characteristics, our strengths. We have the quality to beat Barcelona. I am confident in my players’ ability, I can see they are motivated. They all want to produce a big match.”
PSG Forward Cavani added, as he will try to score against them at home:
“This is a special moment for me, an important period of my career. But my goals are the result of the work of my teammates. I will keep doing my best so that everything continues to work like it is. That’s how I can help support my teammates. To win matches, everyone needs to work hard.
Like every match, I will walk onto the pitch with the same ambition: to win. And so will each of my teammates. We are taking on a very strong side, a club with a great history. But we are focused on the pitch, on what we can do to get the win and take another step closer to our aim. We need to give everything to win this match.”
It will be a tough task to stop the prolific trident of FC Barcelona. All three players Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar have scored against PSG in the last confrontations.
