Away in France, they lost to a generous penalty and bad finishing from their part. The No. Barça have always had the upper hand, apart from the first ever meeting, back in 1995, when it was PSG that progressed. Something similar applies to the other members of Club 1. I always was passionate about writing and this is exactly what I am looking for: sharing my insights and opinions on football. In a recent obituary of Diego Maradona, Jonathan Wilson of Guardian wrote that Maradona “was great for perhaps four seasons”. This time around, Paris are part of a title race. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. It wasn’t the most beautiful goal, but it was a historic one. Both Pelé and Messi turmoiled an entire decade each under the sun and were the closest things to each other. The Parisians reached the Champions League final in 2020. By clicking subscribe, I agree to receive news updates and promotional material from Mediacorp and Mediacorp's partners. LAPORTA: BARCA CAN'T MATCH RIVAL BIDS FOR MESSI. He may be nearly as good as a finisher but hardly rocks the boat as a creator. But if we study their whole careers, and if we look at the overall player profile, it can be argued that Pelé is actually the more appropriate point of comparison. After looking at the inadequacy of PSG’s board and manager, it is time to analyse the players. Leonardo has started a war of words with Tuchel over the preferred postion of Pereira. They were rather lucky to finish top of their group even though they were nowhere good enough, with the same shortcomings mirroring themselves in Ligue 1. REUTERS: Barcelona will face Paris St Germain while title holders Bayern Munich are up against Italy's Lazio in the last 16 of the Champions League after UEFA's draw was held on Monday. 2020-21 UEFA Champions League scores, TV schedule for round of 16: Barca get PSG, Atletico Madrid vs. Chelsea And then there were 16 participants for February's knockout stage Discover the Barça's latest news, photos, videos and statistics for this match for the UEFA Champions League match between FC Barcelona - Paris Saint Germain, on the Wed 8 Mar 2017, 19:45 GMT. Premier League champions Liverpool will play last year's semi-finalists RB Leipzig. What made this goal special is not so much its role in the largely forgettable 2-2 draw that ensued, but the fact that it was Messi’s 643rd goal for FC Barcelona, the same number of goals Pelé scored for the club of his life, Santos FC. They are the two best players of all time. The Brazilian looks like he will be unable to reassemble a PSG side as incredible as the one he assembled nearly a decade ago. He, too, was a creative presence of the highest order, while outscoring everyone at the same time. In the end, if they can show their quality against Barça despite all the adversity, they might go on and reach the promised land. Your email address will not be published. Well, after talking about the weak Catalans’ woes, it is time to look at Thomas Tuchel’s men’s problems. In some important regards he is much closer to being a second Messi than Maradona ever was and Cristiano Ronaldo ever will be. Man United wins again at PSG; Messi scores in Barca rout United reproduced its stunning exploits from the 2018-19 competition by beating PSG away thanks to Rashford's 87th-minute strike in a 2-1 win In his second year, Leonardo brought in Danilo Pereira, who is yet to replicate his earlier form, a promising but lost striker in Moise Kean, a complacent Mauro Icardi and Alessandro Florenzi. Yes, his assists statistics are impressive, but everyone who has actually followed his career knows that he is not much of a playmaking presence. All in all, Paris Saint-Germain, while not being the best side to face with Barça’s shortcomings, are not as terrifying as others. Still, the matched, and now beaten record presents an admirable opportunity to contemplate the two legends and their respective careers. The clash of Lionel Messi and Barca with last year’s runners-up PSG is a repeat of their remarkable meeting at the same stage in 2017 when Barca … They obliterate it and are crowned Champions by March. These results stem from the manager’s tactics, but the current institutional crisis in Paris does not help. The Brazilian scored in both legs to get his side through after Erling Braut Haaland showed no mercy in the same game. Reports are saying that the talisman might be out for thee weeks, but it looks far from official, which is scary for the Parisians, who do not look like the same team without the #10. Required fields are marked *. IMAGE: Lionel Messi's Barca had beaten PSG at the same stage, overcoming a 4-0 first leg loss to beat the French club 6-1 in Spain. 8. When Neymar won a penalty against Istanbul Basaksehir, he gave it to Mbappé, almost too generously. The clash of Lionel Messi and Barca with last year’s runners-up PSG is a repeat of their remarkable meeting at the same stage in 2017 when Barca … Thanks for the feedback. The winger has nearly perfected his game, and he is Paris’s hope when things go south, and he demonstrated it against Borussia Dortmund last year. His 644th goal, which came against Real Valladolid, was a bit worthier of historical significance, too: a coolly taken shot into the bottom right corner after some neat link-up play with Frenkie de Jong and young Pedri. Bordeaux could have beaten them had they not missed their finishing boots, while Monaco came back from 2-0 down to beat Tuchel’s men 3-2. Barcelona will face Paris St Germain while title holders Bayern Munich are up against Italy's Lazio in the last 16 of the Champions League after UEFA's draw was held on Monday. Neymar clinched a unique piece of Champions League history on Wednesday as he reached 20 goals for Paris Saint-Germain with a hat-trick against Basaksehir. They lost their first Classique in 10 years against Marseille at home. As PSG lost to Lyon, Thiago Mendes went in with a reckless tackle and Neymar was stretchered off. And by context, it is easy to guess that the man in question is none other than Pele himself. Do not get it wrong, the World Cup winner is still an insane talent. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. As a Lebanese teenager who never had the chance to support their local team, I fell in love with the club that was FC Barcelona at the start of the decade. Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian forward Neymar (centre) is challenged by Istanbul Basaksehir’s Turkish midfielder Mahmut Tekdemir (back) during the UEFA Champions League group H football match between PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir FK at … They produced season after season after season of world-class-and-above performances. The clash of Lionel Messi and Barca with last year’s runners-up PSG is a repeat of their remarkable meeting at the same stage in 2017 when Barca … Finally, Neymar became Paris’ butcher in the 6-1 Remontada in 2017. This scenario looks just like the 2017 season. The French champions have issues all over the pitch, which, if they can improve in time, then they will surely beat Barça, but the path is long and unbewildered. There were significant ups and downs. Koeman’s men are eighth in the league and have only drawn Paris because they finished second in the group. The clash of Lionel Messi and Barca with last year’s runners-up PSG is a repeat of their remarkable meeting at the same stage in 2017 when Barca … Barcelona could not have faced PSG at a better time, for the capital outfit are going through similar problems as the Blaugranas, and are at the nadir of their powers. Barcelona’s loss to Juventus frightened Culés for many reasons, and rightly so. Ronaldo has often been the second best player in the world during Messi’s reign and even had a shout at being no. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United tactically outclassed the French side away in Paris. It would be fair to say that PSG would not like to play against the La Liga side. The 21-year-old went through a goal drought in the Champions League and did not score for 10 games. Now, let’s look at Neymar. Barca to face PSG in Champions League last 16 Barcelona will face Paris St Germain while title holders Bayern Munich are up against Italy's Lazio in the last 16 of the Champions League … The two legged ties will be played from Feb. 16. Their light shone as bright as we have ever seen and it shone basically forever. A good result against PSG and qualification to the Quarters will help the Catalans go on a good run in the Champions League, the Catalans dearly need their confidence back. However, the Catalans drew a familiar face this time: Paris Saint-Germain. Following the humiliations against Bayern, Liverpool, and AS Roma, there was only so much that the fan could take. 7 is a No. For exactly four days they occupied the joint first place in the all-time ranking of players with most goals scored for a single professional football club. 10, and certainly not a No. Perhaps more importantly, it marks the return of Neymar to Barcelona since leaving for PSG prior to the the 2017-18 season. Pelé, Messi, and Ronaldo are several notches higher than the 1986 World Cup winner when it comes to consistency. They have started the season appallingly, and the eyebrows have begun to be raised over the Dutchman’s future already. After finishing in the second place in the group for the first time since 2006, the sleeping giants feared most group toppers. Finally, Lyon dominated the play away from home to overtake them in the league. Let’s start with the overall shape of their career. And you need not look further than the game against Atalanta to prove that. Barca Universal uses cookies to improve your experience. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. In a rematch of their classic encounter at the same stage four seasons ago, Barcelona will face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. Photograph: Manu Fernandez/Pool via … The late 50s and early-to-mid 60s Pelé, in particular, is a player that, while obviously being very different from the players of today (his heyday was 60 years ago, football has changed), can for his own time claim to have ascended to the same kind of heights as Messi. Monaco had a stunning year and won Ligue 1 that campaign. Italian champions Juventus will face Porto, Sevilla play Borussia Dortmund and Serie A club Atalanta take on Real Madrid. Yes, Messi dropped a bit during 2013-14 and Pelé had problems in 1966, but by and large, they personified the relentless pursuit for never-ending excellence. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Thankfully for the five-time Champions League winners, Bayern got Lazio, Liverpool got RB Leipzig, and the draw pitted Marco Rose’s Borussia Monchengladbach and Pep Guardiola’s City. Mbappe after the match said the time was right for … However, his return to the Camp Nou might be in jeopardy. Leonardo came back as chief executive in 2019 but looks a shadow of his former self. The UEFA Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain and Istanbul Basaksehir resumed on Wednesday afternoon, but before being opponents, both teams shared a moment of unity. Watch the 2016-2017 FC Barcelona vs. Paris Saint-Germain Champions League Round of 16, 2nd leg full match held at Camp Nou (Barcelona) on Footballia Not of all them, though. In short, we can say that is not part of the exclusive club of players who averaged a bizarre goals-to-game ratio of nearly 1 for a longer period of time while playing in a highly competitive context. After that, they can focus on the Champions League. Ever since QSI took over the French capital’s club, they have dreamt about winning Europe’s premier competition. He usually terrorises Ligue 1 sides, and he has stagnated, not regressed. The Brazilian is one of the best players in the world. Maradona was also much less of a goal threat. The Catalans suffered a humiliating defeat at Camp Nou, and it was partly because of their tactics. Whoa... We're sorry! Copyright © 2017 - 2020 Barca Universal -. Paris and Barça have a bit of a history in the competition. When Neymar is at his best, he is arguably the best player in the world. But what always feels a bit contrived when said about Messi versus his contemporary rival, that we should just enjoy them both, feels more appropriate when it comes to watching the GOAT and O Rei. The Germans heavily dominated the Frenchmen, and they deserved more than the results they got. 9 but not a No. This service is not intended for persons residing in the EU. UEFA Champions League Round of 16 draw: Barcelona to face PSG, holders Bayern to take on Lazio The clash of Lionel Messi and Barca with last year’s runners-up PSG is … His tactical choices have cost him a lot. Lille have attained momentum, and are first in Ligue 1, while Olympique Lyonnais just beat PSG at the Parc des Princes, and even Marseille could be top after their two games in hand. 1994-95 Champions League Quarter Final Barça 1-1 PSG / PSG 2-1 The German coach received lots of criticism from the French fanbase because he has simply not done a good enough job. The “Rêvons plus grand” (Dream bigger) slogan has echoed in the French capital, in the voice of, Nasser Al-Khelaifi wanting to make of PSG the best team in the world. Their names are Pelé and Messi. Let us call this group of players as part of Club 1. Unai Emery’s PSG, utterly lost, shipped six goals to Luis Enrique’s defective Blaugranas. They lost it narrowly to Bayern, who beat Barcelona 8-2 en route to the treble. However, the Barça sides from yesteryear are a far cry from what Ronald Koeman has managed to conjure. Moreover, Lens beat them at the start of the term. Barcelona have stopped them thrice. How can Barcelona have any hope ahead of this tie? And even if Messi wasn’t Argentinian, the Getafe goal alone would justify comparisons to Maradona’s genius. Match ends, Barcelona 6, Paris Saint Germain 1. Barca and PSG On the Slide. All in all, Paris Saint-Germain, while not being the best side to face with Barça’s shortcomings, are not as terrifying as others. Football history has known two free-scoring, free-assisting, free-creating, relentless performance machines. Enjoy them both. PSG have huge backing from their Qatari owners and are determined to build a team that can dominate in Europe. These cookies do not store any personal information. After getting his wanted number 9 position, Mbappé looked like a shadow of his winger self. PSG qualified for the last 16 of Europe's leading club competition, despite the match being suspended and then rescheduled, after Manchester United lost 3-2 at Leipzig. We should keep in mind that 80s Serie A was low-scoring and expanded to 18 teams only in ‘88-’89, but even if we do not forget any of these facts, Maradona’s performance as a goalscorer is a far cry compared to his compatriot. It looks like the email address you entered is not valid. If nothing unforeseen happens, Messi will add at least a dozen more before the season ends, thereby putting some distance between him and Pelé. The French press and fans feel like the coach is too lucky and that his tactical system is incoherent on a lot of levels. Barcelona 6–1 Paris Saint-Germain, also known as La Remontada ("The Comeback"), was the result of the second leg of a UEFA Champions League tie which occurred on 8 March 2017 at the Camp Nou in Barcelona. Edinson Cavani lashed home for PSG on 61 minutes and the quarter-finals looked beyond Barca, but they obviously had not read the script. PSG won the match 5-1 bolstered by a Neymar hat trick and two goals from Kylian Mbappe. Champions League | Barca vs PSG headlines last-16 match-ups AFP Paris, December 14, 2020 22:51 IST Updated: December 14, 2020 22:58 IST AFP Paris, December 14, 2020 22:51 IST In the post-war era, only a handful of players gained access to this club: Ferenc Puskas, Gerd Müller, Cristiano Ronaldo, and, of course, Pelé and Messi. Not the way Barca fans wanted but Neymar is now heavily tipped to help PSG avenge the historic and embarrassing 6–1 defeat orchestrated by the Brazillian himself in 2017. Neymar bagged the Man of the Match award when Barcelona pulled off the La Remontada (The Comeback) over PSG three years ago in the same competition. The 1988 Motín del Hesperia: can Barcelona now learn from it? Mediacorp Pte Ltd. All rights reserved. Tuchel played a midfield bereft of creativity and a defence arguably shakier than Barça’s. Four days only because, to absolutely no one’s surprise, it took Messi only one further match to pull one goal ahead. The last time Barca won the tournament, back in the 2014-15 edition, PSG were one of the teams they had to get through on their way to the title in Berlin. PSG-Barça, 8e de finale aller de la Ligue des champions, c’est ce mardi (20h45) au Parc des Princes ! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Realistically, sides like Bayern Munich, Liverpool or Manchester City could have obliterated Ronald Koeman’s men. After getting such a clement draw, compared to what could have been sides, Barça are under a lot less pressure. First of all, Tuchel is lost at the Parc des Princes. In 2013, they eliminated a competent PSG side on away goals. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. First, the system on show against the Old Lady was abysmal. Suivez toutes les infos et les conférences de presse en direct sur RMC Sport. Messi’s career, dating back to when he was a teenager in the late 2000s, has been set in relation to two other players: Cristiano Ronaldo, obviously, and, as a historical point of comparison, Diego Maradona. Not getting the three best group winners was a relief for the Culés. Copyright© Mediacorp 2020. FC Barcelona reversed a four-goal deficit in the second leg of their 2016–17 UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain to win 6–5 on aggregate, making it the largest comeback in UEFA Champions League history. This year, PSG do not look like one of Europe’s biggest forces, and they do not even have Ligue 1 secured to focus on one competition. With their captain not wanting to be at the club, and linked with PSG themselves, and a squad bereft of confidence and tactics, chances looks bleak for Barcelona. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Leonardo of 2011 assembled a promising squad and managed to get Carlo Ancelotti, a world-class coach for the Parisians. There are genuine reasons for choosing these two players. The draw for the Champions League round of 16 took place on Monday, after Barça’s shaky win against Levante. The last-16 draw triggered a big tilt in odds for a couple of the European giants. Achievements • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy • Licensed Images • Partners Copyright © 2017 - 2020 Barca Universal - [email protected]. Fans and pundits thought Mbappé would become a better player than he is now, but he is still performing at a level which is still more than acceptable, and enough to pull a dagger through the Blaugrana heart. Atletico Madrid will face Chelsea and Manchester City will take on Borussia Moenchengladbach. meREWARDS lets you get coupon deals, and earn cashback when you complete surveys, dine, travel and shop with our partners. 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Papers: Messi and Pedri are the present and the future of the team, Puyol: “Messi has set the bar very high, he is the best of all time”, Lenglet: It’s up to Koeman to change the system, Jan Oblak praises Messi: “Will he shoot, will he dribble, will he pass?”, Watch: Valladolid 0-3 Barcelona, Match Review, Player Ratings: Real Valladolid 0-3 Barcelona, 3 lessons learned from the Real Valladolid 0-3 Barcelona game, Real Valladolid 0-3 Barcelona: Match Review, Predicting Barcelona’s lineup against Real Valladolid, Player Ratings: Barcelona 2-2 Valencia — another masterclass from Araujo, Assessing Barcelona’s centre back options heading into the January transfer window, Pedri vs Coutinho: One clear winner at Barcelona right now, Opponent Analysis: Valencia CF, La Liga matchday 14, How Barcelona can benefit from Joan Laporta’s friendship with super-agent Mino Raiola, Opponent Analysis: Real Sociedad, La Liga matchday 19, Pelé and Messi – Two decades under the sun, Making the case against Memphis Depay at Barcelona, Barcelona should not sack Koeman mid-way through the season, Making a case for Memphis Depay at Barcelona, Barcelona have found an unlikely saviour in Ronald Araujo, Winter transfer market essentials for Barcelona, Three potential loan destinations for Riqui Puig, Three potential loan destinations for Carles Aleña, Ranking Barça’s 3 centre-back options in the January transfer market, 3 players Barcelona should consider offloading in the January transfer window, 3 Barcelona B players who could break into the first team this season, Barcelona B: Changes which we can expect this season, Barcelona B vs Valladolid Promesas: Match preview – First step towards promotion, Álex Collado, injured: Massive blow for the young talent, Barça and the B, Barça Femení: A summary of the 2020/21 campaign so far and what to expect in the New Year, Reflecting on Sonia Bermúdez’s legacy on club and country, Andrea Pereira, Barça Femení’s underrated defensive pillar, Why Europe is still within reach for Barça Femení, FCB Femeni’s November Player of the Month: Caroline Graham-Hansen, Josep Samitier, the artist and hero of Barcelona’s first golden age. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. "For more than 15 years PSG has led the fight against discrimination and continues to work to eradicate it in all forms." Barça were ruthless with the Nouveau Riche French champions in 2013, 2015, and 2017. Prior to the draw, Barcelona averaged out at +1567 to win the tournament but having been drawn against PSG their odds have now slid to +1800. For Kylian Mbappe, it feels like the precocious Frenchman has stagnated in recent year. (Reporting by Simon Evans; Editing by Christian Radnedge). After having missed a penalty only seconds earlier, Lionel Messi headed the ball over the line to level the score against Valencia. The thing about Cristiano Ronaldo, however, is that while he basically matches Messi as a goal threat, he lacks behind quite considerably in other regards. That is not to say that they one cannot discuss who was better, Messi or Pelé. Ronald Koeman, a Barça legend as a player. 1 on some occasions. PSG Rout Basaksehir In Restarted UCL Match December 9, 2020 20:35 A Neymar hat-trick and Mbappe brace as PSG rout Istanbul Basaksehir in restarted Champions League match Then, prime Luis Suares showed David Luiz no mercy nestling two shots into the goals. For the same reason, PSG have also seen their odds slide, from +933 to +1233, on the premise that Barca still has Messi and therefore … Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. A bit harsh, but it does raise a point: Maradona did not produce a solid decade or more of top performances. A good result against PSG and qualification to the Quarters will help the Catalans go on a good run in the Champions League, the Catalans dearly need their confidence back. Your email address will not be published. Moving away from the United game, PSG had two abysmal performances against RB Leipzig. There is a second goal machine around who was much more than just a centre forward. Usually, Neymar and co. dominate the league to a fault by this point of the competition. Also, the result meant Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammates would leapfrog Barcelona in the group and top it. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.