MX23RW : Thursday, November 21 13:33:08| >> :120:11320:11320:
[monks data]
PSG logo
Champions League | Quarter-Finals | 1st Leg
Apr 10, 2024 at 8pm UK
Parc des Princes
Barcelona logo

PSG
2 - 3
Barcelona

Dembele (48'), Vitinha (50')
Vitinha (65'), Beraldo (89')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Raphinha (37', 62'), Christensen (77')
Roberto (34'), Cubarsi (82'), Christensen (88'), Lopez (89')

Barcelona missing two players for Paris Saint-Germain battle

Barcelona missing two players for Paris Saint-Germain battle
© Reuters
Gavi and Alejandro Balde are Barcelona's only absentees for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg with Paris Saint-Germain.

Barcelona remain without the services of Gavi and Alejandro Balde for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg with the French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Both players are out for the season, with Gavi, who has travelled to Paris to support his teammates, suffering a serious knee injury while representing Spain towards the end of last year, while Balde underwent a hamstring operation in January.

There is a huge boost for the Catalan giants, though, with both Frenkie de Jong and Pedri included in the squad after five weeks on the sidelines through injury.

The duo were injured against Athletic Bilbao at the start of March, with De Jong suffering an ankle issue, while Pedri picked up another thigh problem.

Barcelona's Alejandro Balde on March 2, 2023© Reuters

Gavi, Balde only absentees for Barcelona

Barcelona boss Xavi has confirmed that both are available to face PSG, as it had initially been revealed that neither had been medically cleared when they were named in the squad.

Marc Guiu, Hector Fort and Marc Casado are also in the squad, while Andreas Christensen is back after an Achilles problem.

Barcelona have not been in action since recording a 1-0 victory over Las Palmas on March 30, and the strength of the squad means that Xavi now has big decision to make in terms of his team selection.

Xavi has also insisted that his side will have to be wary of the weapons that PSG possess, including Ousmane Dembele, who left Camp Nou to make the move to the capital giants.

"Yeah well [Kylian] Mbappe, Dembele, [Randal] Kolo Muani, Vitinha... and the whole squad. We have to be vigilant, we have to be brilliant in this aspect," he told reporters during his pre-match press conference.

Barcelona coach Xavi before the match on December 10, 2023© Reuters

Xavi insists that PSG "are favourites"

"Dembele and I sent each other a message after the draw and said we would see each other in Paris. I have great respect for him, he decided to come here, it was a challenge for him and that's why I think PSG are favourites. They took a great player away from us in the summer."

Xavi also said that PSG "are favourites" to advance to the semi-finals of the competition.

"To say that we are not favourites is not a strategy, I really think so. I think PSG are favourites, they have taken Dembele away from us, they have spent a lot of money, more than us. They are a team made to win the Champions League. I'll say it again, PSG are favourites," he added.

Barcelona will bring a four-game winning run into the first leg of the last-eight affair in Paris, while they are unbeaten in all competitions since the end of January.

Barcelona squad vs. PSG:

Ter Stegen, Pena, Astralaga; Cancelo, Araujo, I Martinez, Christensen, Alonso, Kounde, Cubarsi, Fort; Pedri, Romeu, Roberto, De Jong, Gundogan, Casado, F Lopez; Torres, Lewandowski, Raphinha, Felix, Roque, Yamal, Guiu

ID:541011:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect5173:No Data Analysis info

Click here for more stories about Gavi

Click here for more stories about Barcelona

Game History

How you voted: PSG vs Barcelona

Paris Saint-Germain
44.2%
Draw
25.9%
Barcelona
29.9%
548
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
FC Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong leaves the pitch after sustaining an injury on March 3, 2024
Read Next:
Barcelona handed major triple fitness boost for PSG clash
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS

League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Liverpool440012
2Sporting Lisbon431010
3Brest431010
4Inter Milan431010
5Monaco431010
6Barcelona43019
7Dortmund43019
8Aston Villa43019
9Atalanta42208
10Juventus42117
11Lille42117
12Man City42117
13Arsenal42117
14B. Leverkusen42117
15Celtic42117
16Dinamo Zagreb42117
17AC Milan42026
18Bayern42026
19Benfica42026
20Feyenoord42026
21Real Madrid42026
22Brugge42026
23Atletico42026
24PSV41215
25Sparta Prague41124
26Stuttgart41124
27PSG41124
28Shakhtar41124
29Girona41033
30Salzburg41033
31Bologna40131
32RB Leipzig40040
33Sturm Graz40040
34Young Boys40040
35Red Star40040
36Slovan Bratislava40040


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!