Barcelona's trip to Paris to face the big spending Paris Saint-Germain is easily set to be one of the better matches of this round of Champions League group stage games. Injuries are going to play a big role in the match, mainly for PSG who will be missing two important starters, and could be without a third.
Paris Saint-Germain vs. Barcelona, 2014 UEFA Champions League: Team news and game preview
PSG hope to knock off Barca in Paris, but they’ll be missing at least two key starters on Tuesday.
Victor Fraile
For the Blaugrana, they’ll likely be thrilled to be facing a weakened PSG in their trip to Paris. It was always going to be the toughest match of their group stage schedule, and their chances of getting points over their biggest rivals for the group have improved significantly. It will still be a tough game though for Barca since PSG have been far better at home than they have on the road this season.
While the numbers don’t point to this match being a high-scoring affair, both offenses are strong enough to break down the other’s defense. It’s really just a question of how stable is Barca’s back line and how healthy is PSG’s attack.
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Key Player: Zlatan Ibrahimović (PSG)
We love when Zlatan Ibrahimović plays against Barcelona. The chip of his shoulder concerning that club is so massive you can see it from space ... wait, HE’S NOT PLAYING?!! OH COME ON!!! Well, we’re not changing the key player because not having Zlatan is still a pretty big deal for PSG on Tuesday. Despite their plethora of attacking weapons, including Edinson Cavani and Lucas Moura, this is a team that’s better with Zlatan. Plus the aforementioned love the Swedish striker has for playing against his former club, and you’ve removed what should’ve been a huge advantage for the Parisians.
Key Matchup: Barcelona’s defense vs. Cavani, Moura, Pastore, etc.
Barcelona have still not conceded a goal this season. Not a single one. None in league play, none in the Champions League. While Luis Enrique has clearly stabilized the rickety Blaugrana defense that had been hindering them over the past two seasons, they've yet to face a real big test yet. This PSG side should give them a test ... a big 'old scary test even with mighty Zlatan sidelined. If Barca can contain PSG's attack, even if it's not another clean sheet, it'll be a big step forward in the world believing their defensive issues might be a thing of the past.
Paris Saint-Germain injuries and suspensions
Out: Zlatan Ibrahimović (heel), Thiago Silva (hamstring). In Doubt: Ezequiel Lavezzi (hamstring).
Barcelona injuries and suspensions
Out: Rafinha (muscular injury), Jordi Masip (fractured finger), Thomas Vermaelen (unselected), Martin Montoya (unselected).
With Zlatan out and Lavezzi struggling as well, Laurent Blanc will have to juggle his front line a bit. Edinson Cavani will start, but he’ll have to decide who to use around him. Jean Christophe Bahebeck is an option, along with Lucas Moura and Javier Pastore. IN all likelihood, all three will play, unless Blanc decides to go with more midfielders to try and deal with Barca. Luis Enrique has no major injury concerns heading into the match.
Match Date/Time: Tuesday, 8:45 p.m. local, 2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Parc des Princes, Paris, France
TV: FOX Sports Net, FOX Soccer Plus, FOX Deportes (U.S.), Sky Sports 1/HD (U.K.), Sportsnet One (Canada), TVE La 1, TV3 (Spain)
Online: FOX Soccer 2Go (U.S.), Sportsnet World Now (Canada), SkyGo (U.K.), beIN Sports CONNECT (France)
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