PSG will head into their Champions League round of 16 clash with Barcelona with momentum on their side after crushing Bordeaux, 3-0, at Matmut Atlantique on Friday. Edinson Cavani scored a spectacular double for the Parisians who climbed into second place in the Ligue 1 standings with 55 points to their name. The Uruguay striker is playing some of the best football of his life right now, scoring in each of his last six matches. Cavani has already scored a whopping 25 goals this season.
PSG also got a major boost in their bid to shock Barcelona as Marco Verratti finally made his much-anticipated return from a calf injury last weekend. He dazzled in his 60-minute performance against Bordeaux, even providing a mouth-watering assist to Angel di Maria. Verratti will help shore up a PSG midfield that will be missing the services of Thiago Motta this coming Tuesday due to suspension.
PSG will look to make amends after being eliminated by Barcelona in the 2013 and 2015 editions of the Champions League. To strengthen their attack, the Parisians signed Julian Draxler from Wolfsburg this past transfer window. He has certainly lived up to the hype, scoring four goals since joining PSG on January 3.
The Parisians are 4-0-1 in their last five matches.
Barcelona clinched their 13th successive participation in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase by finishing top of Group C with an impressive six-point edge over Manchester City. Just like PSG, the Catalan giants will enter this round-of-16 clash in a rich vein of form. They have lost just one of their last 22 matches in all competitions. Barcelona are coming off a 6-0 thrashing of Alaves in La Liga last Saturday.
Barcelona will fancy their chances of continuing that excellent form against PSG as they have fared extremely well against the French champions of late. They have won their last three matches against PSG, scoring eight goals and conceding just twice during that span. PSG, for that matter, have never kept a clean sheet against Barcelona in nine matches so expect Messi and co. to go hunting for that crucial away goal this coming Tuesday. Barcelona have been impressive with their attack in this season’s Champions League, scoring 20 goals in the group stages.
Their defense was nothing to sneeze at either, surrendering just four goals in their six group matches. Gerard Pique, who was rested against Alaves, is back in the squad for this crucial first-leg clash, along with another defender, Rafinha, who has recovered from a broken nose. They will help solidify a Barca defense that will be missing the services of fullback Aleix Vidal, who’s out for five months with an ankle injury.
The Catalans are 3-2-0 in their last five matches.
Writer’s Prediction
PSG and Barcelona cancel each other out in an entertaining 2-2 draw (+225).
