On Oct. 20, soccer saw two of the strongest clubs face off in the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain(PSG) and Barcelona. Many fans recognized the possibility of this game being a preview into what the final match-up could be in May. While any outcome could have happened on the pitch, PSG’s 4-2 win over Barcelona shocked many.
Paris Saint-Germain has won the past two Champions and they’re looking for a three-peat this season. In many ways PSG has been seen as the most complete team throughout the season. . Head coach Luis Enrique has designed one of the most efficient teams in soccer with each player put on the pitch producing in his system. It’s allowed young players to flourish in a full team that rewards teamwork while players like Desire Doue are looking to become superstars. PSG did lose one of its more valuable players, Bradley Barcola, to Liverpool in September, leaving them less powerful than the season before.
Barcelona is looking to win the LaLiga ahead of Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid who are usually in the running for first place. Unlike PSG who have won the Ligue 1 title consistently for the past ten years, Barcelona struggles with a much more competitive league in comparison. . Specifically Real Madrid, as they are looking to get more competitive after a 3 point comeback against Roma. PSG can take advantage of the weakness of their league to not start all their players and save their talent for the Champions League. While this doesn’t make PSG’s team less impressive, it means that Barcelona must keep its own league in its mind.
The weekend after Barcelona vs. PSG, Barcelona plays in the most historic rivalry in world soccer against Real Madrid at home. In many ways coach Hans-Dieter Flick prioritized keeping his team strong for El Clasico over a win against PSG. Barcelona didn’t start Rodri and took out Raphinha at minute 60, subsisting with Real Madrid in mind. Lamine Yamal’s second half goal gave hope to a lot of fans that Barcelona could win against PSG, but it was only in the last 10 minutes that PSG established their dominance. For 80 minutes Barcelona looked like the top of their class even without Raphinha on offense.
Barcelona is working with the only squads that can challenge PSG’s three-peat. In reality, it is understandable that Flick would prioritize El Clasico over PSG. Barcelona will make it far in the Champions League, even if they lose one game to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. They are looking to become the team their legacy expects them to be this season.. While an early loss to PSG is hard for fans, a loss in El Clasico could flip the script on Barcelona’s head.
By the time spring comes around, Barcelona will be the odds on favorite to win the Champions League. Barcelona benefits from both a star studded offense with Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Anthony Gordon and extreme depth from Flick’s scheme. Specifically Lamine Yamal has been an important part of the team’s culture and he’s expected to be the X-factor for the team. After he won the World Cup and Europa Cup with the Spain National Team many people were split on his talent.
Many people thought he was underperforming in those tournaments due to being outperformed by other players across the tournament and was carried by his team. Specifically, many critics saw his singular goal in the group stage during the World Cup as evidence of his lack of impact. The other crowd believed he was a great team player who was essential for each of those historic wins. Either way, you have one of the most talented young players with a lot to prove, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Lamine Yamal outdoes his standard in the Champions League.
While Paris Saint-Germain is one of the scariest teams in international soccer, Barcelona looks like a more competitive team with a lot more motivation to create a new historic era of Barcelona dominance. The matchup between PSG and Barcelona may have ended in Barcelona losing, but if these teams meet in the finals. Barcelona will look like a wildly different team than last week.
Editor’s Note: Article written before Barcelona vs. Real Madrid
