Although they did not want PSG, Barcelona became encouraged as the draw progressed and knew that their rival had to come out of the shortlist between the French champion, Madrid or Manchester City after the Arsenal-Bayern and Atlético- Borussia Dortmund. He snorted even more when he found out that if he gets past the quarter-finals he will play the semi-final against the winner of Atlético-Borussia Dortmund. The second leg, in addition, would be in both cases in Montjuïc. The Wembley final is no longer seen as impossible even though the bets and the role of favorite fall on Mbappé and Luis Enrique’s PSG.

Mbappé is considered to be the best footballer of the moment, decisive against Real Sociedad, and Luis Enrique’s project is progressing very well after a difficult start due to the transformation experienced since the Asturian coach’s arrival in Paris. PSG longs for the association between Mbappé, the soloist par excellence, and Luis Enrique, a coach distinguished by the choral play of his teams, to finally allow them to win a Champions League that was denied to them with figures such as former blues Messi and Neymar. The relations between Barça and PSG have always been tense and have increased since the owner of the French entity is Nasser Al-Khelaïffi.

The emotional factor can play an important role in an event that will also have well-known actors such as Dembélé, one of Xavi’s favorites, until the winger left Barça to play in Paris, becoming one of the best assistants in the League. PSG dominates the French championship with a ten-point advantage, is a semifinalist in the Cup, has won the Super Cup and has returned after three years to the quarterfinals of the Champions League, a tournament in which it has been a semifinalist (2020-2021 ) and finalist (2019-2020), defeated by Bayern in Lisbon. The French are obsessed with winning the Champions League.

Luis Enrique was the last coach with whom Barça won the tournament in 2015 and, on the other hand, Mbappé will leave PSG on June 30, possibly heading to the Bernabéu. The forward, world champion with France, has 21 goals in 23 League games and eight in eight European games. The prominence of the footballer and the team has been increasing after a very complicated qualifying phase in which they qualified second with the same points as Milan, third, both behind Borussia Dortmund. Luis Enrique, in any case, manages the player’s minutes in the French championship.

The football idea of ​​the former Spanish coach is beginning to take shape in a team that has incorporated up to nine players and has dispensed with figures like Verratti. The focus is now on an 18-year-old midfielder named Zaire-Emery. Around him, Luis Enrique tries to apply an offensive and intense game, strong in pressure and tactically rich, still discontinuous due to the lack of expert and authoritative players, always necessary in the Champions League. PSG is a team under construction that usually forms with Donnarumma; Achraf; Beraldo, Lucas Hernández, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Zaire-Emery, Fabián; Dembélé, Mbappé and Barcola.

The squad is large and full of interesting footballers such as Marquinhos, Kolo Muani, Gonçalo Ramos, Skiniar, Ugarte or the ex-Valencian and ex-Mallorca player Kang-in-Lee. Marco Asensio, Carlos Soler and former Barcelona goalkeeper Arnau Tenas are also on the roster. “We have Lamine Yamal,” responded Rafael Yuste, Barça vice president present at the draw when asked about PSG and the figure of Mbappé. Barça follows PSG’s developments very closely and sporting director Deco is especially interested in Luis Enrique’s profile.

The Asturian, with a contract in Paris until 2025, was the Barça coach in the 2016-2017 season when the Blaugrana overcame the 4-0 defeat in Paris at the Camp Nou (6-1). That last-minute goal by Sergi Roberto, Neymar’s flight to Paris after payment of the 222 million clause and the difference in criteria that both clubs maintain regarding the Super League have fueled a dispute that includes five qualifying rounds with the result of three to two in favor of a Barça dependent more than ever on Europe.

You can follow The USA Print in Facebook and xor sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.

_