Luis Enrique backs PSG to turn around Barca deficit
Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique believes his side are in a great position to overcome their first-leg deficit against Barcelona and reach the Champions League semi-finals.
PSG, who lost 3-2 to Barcelona in Paris last Wednesday, were last in the semi-finals three years ago.
“PSG have never come back to win after losing a first leg, but [Tuesday] is the day,” said Luis Enrique.
“We have a very united group of players, in which there are no egos.”
Enrique won the Treble in 2014-15, one of his three seasons as Barcelona manager.
He was also in charge when the Spanish champions beat PSG 6-1 to overturn a 4-0 first-leg defeat in the last 16 in 2017.
Five-time winners Barcelona are aiming to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in five years.
“We’re not a team that will sit on our lead, we want to take the ball off PSG and win the game,” said manager Xavi.
“It’s the Champions League, it’s Paris, and a game in which no one will be holding back.”
Barcelona will be without Andreas Christensen and Sergio Roberto who are both suspended.
PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi could return after being suspended from the first leg.
MATCH STATS
Head-to-head
Paris St-Germain have played Barcelona (14 times) more than any other opponent in European competitions. PSG’s record against the Spanish champions is W4, D4, L6.
There have been 127 occasions when a team suffered a 3-2 home defeat in the first leg of a two-legged Uefa European knockout tie. Only six have ever recovered to progress.
Xavi and Luis Enrique were teammates for Barcelona and Spain. Luis Enrique’s first season as Barca manager was Xavi’s final campaign at the club as a player (2014/15), with the club winning the treble of Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey.
Barcelona
Barcelona progressed from only two of their past seven Champions League quarter-finals: 5-1 on aggregate for Luis Enrique’s Barca versus PSG in 2014/15 and 4-0 on aggregate versus Manchester United in 2018/19.
Barcelona lost the home leg in only one of their 17 two-legged Champions League quarter-finals (W12-D4-L1), a 2-1 defeat after extra time against Juventus in the 2002/03 second leg (the Barca goal was scored by Xavi).
Barcelona progressed from all 11 Champions League knockout ties they recorded an away win in the first leg.
Paris St-Germain
PSG (three) are one short of matching Monaco (four) as the French club to make the most Champions League semi-final appearances.
PSG have not been eliminated from a Champions League quarter-final since a 3-2 aggregate defeat against Manchester City in 2015/16.
PSG progressed from three of their seven Champions League quarter-finals, including their past two: 2-1 versus Atalanta and on away goals versus Bayern Munich in 2020/21.