Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona LIVE commentary: Enrique meets former club in Champions League blockbuster – kick-off time, team news and talkSPORT coverage

Paris Saint-Germain will meet Barcelona this evening in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, live on talkSPORT 2.

The French champions beat Real Sociedad to reach the last 16 after winning 4-1 on aggregate over the two legs.

Luis Enrique’s side now face another Spanish side in Barca who beat Napoli 4-2 in the round of 16 to stay in Europe.

Xavi will be aiming for success outside of La Liga with his men well behind bitter rivals Real Madrid in the domestic title race.

Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona: historic match

This quarter-final will remind supporters of a Champions League classic.

The two teams met in 2017 when Enrique managed Barcelona against PSG.

After the first leg, in which the French easily won 4-0, it seemed that the match was already over before the second leg.

However, a miracle happened and it was orchestrated by the current PSG manager.

Barca trailed 5-3 on aggregate going into the final two minutes of the tie and looked destined to exit the competition despite a spirited performance.

But two goals from Neymar before an incredible 95th-minute winner from Sergi Roberto led to one of the greatest comebacks in the competition’s history.

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• One of only three instances where Barcelona lost by four away goals in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League occurred against Paris Saint-Germain in February 2017 (also 4–0 defeats to Liverpool in May 2019 and against FC Bayern München in April 2013). ).
• Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona will face each other in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 for a sixth different season; only Real Madrid against Bayern Munich

Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona: team news

PSG’s only confirmed absentees for the quarter-finals are Presnel Kimpembe, injured, and Achraf Hakimi, suspended.

Bradley Barcola is expected to be back in the team and he could join Kylian Mbappe and former Barça winger Ousmane Dembélé in the front line.

As for Barcelona, ​​Frenkie de Jong and Pedri are injured.

This means that former Chelsea player Andreas Christensen will likely play at the base of the midfield alongside Ilkay Gundogan.

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• Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona have met 12 times previously in the UEFA Champions League, with a perfectly balanced record with four wins each and four draws.
• This will be Barcelona’s first match in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals since August 2020, when they suffered their heaviest defeat in European competition (8-2 against FC Bayern München). They have only progressed from the quarter-finals in one of their last five attempts (2018-19 against Manchester United).

Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona: What was said?

Enrique will lead his PSG side against his former club this week and he has spoken about how it will feel.

He said: “Playing for Barcelona is difficult for me from an emotional point of view, but at the same time it is stimulating.

“I want to do a good job. I want my team to win the match. I want to prove to them and to myself that as a professional I am at the top. And that means beating Barça.

“To hurt them we will have to be the best version of ourselves. Barcelona is a very high level club. They are a good team. It will be very difficult, but I think we are at a very high level . Also.

“We are on a good run and I am confident we can eliminate them.”

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• If he remains in the starting XI from the previous round, Pau Cubarsí will become the youngest defender to start a UEFA Champions League quarter-final (17 years, 79 days on match day). Against Napoli last time in the competition, Cubarsí was the Barcelona player with the highest success rate (90% – 61/68) and the most assists (14).
• 91% of Kylian Mbappé’s touches in the UEFA Champions League this season have come under pressure from an opposing player; the highest percentage of the current tournament (min. 50 hits). Indeed, the Paris Saint-Germain striker has made more assists under pressure than any other striker in the competition this season (15).

Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona: talkSPORT coverage

This Champions League quarter-final first leg will take place on Wednesday April 10.

Kick-off at the Parc des Princes is scheduled for 8 p.m.

talkSPORT 2 will cover the match live.

Comments will come from Jim Proudfoot and former England defender Danny Mills.