Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona preview: How to watch on TV, live stream, kick-off time & prediction
By Harry Symeou
Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona will lock horns once again on Wednesday night in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie. The French champions thumped Barça 4-1 at Camp Nou last month thanks to Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick and a goal from Moise Kean.
Taking into account the aggregate score, you'd be right to make Mauricio Pochettino's side the heavy favourites. La Liga's giants pulled off a remarkable comeback against this very opponent back in the 2016/17 season when they won the second leg 6-1 on an unforgettable night that became known as 'La Remontada' (the turnaround).
However, that Barcelona side were far stronger and one of their stars on the night, Neymar, now plays for PSG. While you should never rule out any team with Lionel Messi in their ranks, it's difficult to envisage an outcome that doesn't see Les Parisiens progressing to the last eight.
Here is 90min's preview of the game.
How to watch Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona on TV
When is it? Wednesday 10 March 2021
What time is kick-off? 8pm (GMT)
Where is it being played? Parc des Princes, Paris
TV Channel: BT Sport 3 (UK), fuboTV (US)
Referee: Anthony Taylor
VAR: Stuart Attwell
Paris Saint-Germain team news
PSG are expected to be without Neymar, who hasn't played since February 10 when he picked up a groin injury. He wasn't deemed fit enough to return at the weekend vs Brest and so remains a doubt ahead of this one.
Kean recently tested positive for coronavirus and so is unavailable alongside long-term absentee Juan Bernat, but Alessandro Florenzi looks set to return after a muscular issue.
Barcelona team news
The Catalan giants will be without the injured Gerard Pique who joins Ansu Fati, Philippe Coutinho and Sergi Roberto on the injury list. Miralem Pjanic was an unused substitute at the weekend due to concerns over his fitness and Ronald Araujo is also a doubt.
Predicted lineups
Paris Saint-Germain: Navas; Florenzi, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Kurzawa; Gueye, Paredes; Di María, Verratti, Mbappé; Icardi
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Mingueza, Lenglet, Umtiti; Dest, De Jong, Busquets, Pedri, Alba; Messi, Dembélé
Recent form
Paris Saint-Germain
Brest 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain - Coupe de France - 6/3/21
Bordeaux 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain - Ligue 1 - 3/3/21
Dijon 0-4 Paris Saint-Germain - Ligue 1 - 27/2/21
Paris Saint-Germain 0-2 Monaco - Ligue 1 - 21/2/21
Barcelona 1-4 Paris Saint-Germain - Champions League - 16/2/21
Barcelona
Osasuna 0-2 Barcelona - La Liga - 6/3/21
Barcelona 3-0 Sevilla - Copa del Rey - 3/3/21
Sevilla 0-2 Barcelona - La Liga - 27/2/21
Barcelona 3-0 Elche - La Liga - 24/2/21
Barcelona 1-1 Cadiz - La Liga - 21/2/21
Prediction
On the night, this one could go either way. Both sides are blessed with an array of attacking talent, however, the outcome of the tie overall feels like a bit of a foregone conclusion.
If Barcelona were able to wrestle their way back into the tie and achieve the unthinkable (again), this would go down as one of the great European fixtures - but even the most optimistic of Barça fans are far from confident of progression on Wednesday.
Paris Saint-Germain marched all the way to the UEFA Champions League final last season and were arguably favourites before the kick-off at Camp Nou last month, and having already established such a strong lead, it's difficult to see Barcelona pushing them close.
Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 Barcelona