Paris Saint-Germain are pursuing a third consecutive Champions League title after successfully defending their European crown last season. Luis Enrique’s side struggled for consistency early in the domestic campaign, losing the French Super Cup to Lens and dropping points in their first three Ligue 1 fixtures. They have since recovered, however, winning six consecutive matches across all competitions.
Barcelona have had no such difficulties under Hansi Flick. The Catalans have won all 11 competitive matches this season, scoring 48 goals. Their nine straight victories in La Liga have also equalled the club’s record for the best start.
Both teams have been particularly impressive in Europe. PSG opened their Champions League campaign with a 6-1 win over Slovan Bratislava before securing a 4-2 away victory against Manchester City. The Parisians scored three times in the opening 32 minutes at the Etihad Stadium, becoming the first visiting side to achieve that feat in a Champions League match.
Barcelona have been equally convincing, beating Feyenoord 5-1 and Galatasaray 4-1. They have now scored at least four goals in 4 games in a row in Champions League league-phase, setting a new competition record.
PSG’s Form Ahead of the Barcelona Clash
PSG’s most recent match ended in a 3-1 away victory over Strasbourg. Luis Enrique made eight changes to the team that had beaten Manchester City three days earlier, resting several regular starters ahead of the Barcelona clash.
The decision nearly backfired. Strasbourg took the lead through Gio Reyna and created several more chances, but Matvey Safonov kept PSG in the game. Ousmane Dembele came off the bench and missed a penalty before Ilya Zabarnyi equalised. Dembele then scored the winner five minutes from time, with Desire Doue adding a third in stoppage time.
The result moved PSG to the top of Ligue 1 on goals scored, with 14 points from seven matches. However, defensive consistency remains an issue, with just one clean sheet in ten competitive fixtures this season.
PSG also suffered an injury setback against Strasbourg. Nuno Mendes was forced off with a thigh problem and is expected to miss several weeks. His absence could be particularly significant against Barcelona, given the threat posed by Lamine Yamal on the right flank.
On the positive side, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi should be relatively fresh after being rested. Luis Enrique also faces a decision in central defence, with Marquinhos who missed the Strasbourg match, or Zabarnyi, who impressed with a strong performance and a goal.
Penalty scores remain another concern. PSG have scored just once from four attempts this season, with Dembele the latest to miss.
Barcelona’s Current Form and Injury News
Under Flick, the Catalans have won both the Super Cup and La Liga twice. They have also made a flying start this season, extending their unbeaten run with a 5-2 away victory over Real Betis to make it nine wins from nine in La Liga. Flick’s side have scored at least three goals in each of their last nine matches, with 13 different players finding the net this Laliga season. Barcelona are clearly not relying solely on their forwards for goals.
However, the victory came at a cost. Eric Garcia suffered a thigh injury and is expected to miss three to four weeks, while Jules Kounde has been ruled out of the PSG match with an ankle problem. With Andreas Christensen also sidelined, Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin could start in central defence, with Xavi Espart an option at right-back.
Successfully, there is better news in attack. Raphinha returned against Betis after missing two matches, although his playing time may still be limited. Frenkie de Jong is also back in the squad following a knee injury but has yet to make an appearance this season.
Lamine Yamal remains one of Barcelona’s key players. He has contributed one goal and four assists in two Champions League matches this season and is now just one goal short of Kylian Mbappe’s record of 13 Champions League goals before turning 20.
But Barcelona face another challenge in their schedule, with El Clasico against Real Madrid coming just five days after the PSG match. Flick will have to balance the importance of both fixtures while managing a squad already affected by injuries.
