Five Talking Points Ahead of the Barcelona vs PSG Match

Barcelona hosts the defending Champions League champions, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), on October 1, 2025, at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in a Champions League fixture marked by absences and tactical adjustments.

Both squads enter tonight’s clash carrying significant injury setbacks that reshape tactical options.

Missing Stars

For Barcelona, Gavi remains out following knee surgery, while Raphinha is still sidelined with a muscle injury, as is Ter Stegen.

Midfield depth is further reduced by the absence of Fermín López, while goalkeeper Joan García is unavailable.

These injuries restrict Hansi Flick’s ability to rotate, forcing reliance on Pedri and Frenkie de Jong to control the midfield.

Paris Saint-Germain face an even bigger problem, as captain Marquinhos is out, depriving the defence of leadership and stability.

In attack, 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are both missing, stripping PSG of natural width and creativity on the flanks.

Promising winger Désiré Doué is also unavailable, making the match a very tactical one as Luis Enrique must therefore reconstruct his front line around Kang-In Lee and Gonçalo Ramos, supported by midfield runners.

Word from the Coaches

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick and Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique made contrasting remarks on the eve of the Champions League fixture at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, with both emphasising respect but signalling different priorities.

Flick dismissed the concept of revenge for past defeats, framing the match as a fresh test.

“I don’t think about the last match, I focus on the next one. Everything has changed completely.”

With Lamine Yamal back in the squad, Flick toned down expectations of the teenager’s impact.

“I don’t like this ‘super’ talk. He’s exceptional, but he’s 18 and has to work hard. It’s not just about how good you are with the ball, you must work defensively too.”

Facing his former club, Luis Enrique didn’t shy away from the personal significance of the moment.

“I am happy to come back, it’s my home. I spent a large part of my career here as a player and a manager. It is very special. It’s nice to play against Barcelona, but for me it can be painful, it difficult to put into words.”

Barcelona vs PSG Head-to-Head Record

The two sides have faced each other 15 times in competitive action, with Barcelona winning 6 and PSG winning 5, while 4 encounters have ended in draws.

Remarkably, each side has scored 27 times against the other.

Rarely in European football do two clubs of such stature share a head-to-head record so finely poised.

In 2017, Barcelona produced what remains one of the Champions League’s most iconic results. Trailing 4–0 after the first leg in Paris, they staged the “Remontada,” winning 6–1 at Camp Nou to progress 6–5 on aggregate.

That night cemented the rivalry as one of European football’s modern classics.

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PSG, however, has delivered its own decisive blows.

In the 2020–21 round of 16, Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick in a 4–1 first-leg victory at Camp Nou, a result that effectively ended Barcelona’s campaign.

More recently, in the 2024 quarterfinals, PSG eliminated Barça with a 6–4 aggregate triumph, confirming their ascendancy in the latest chapter of the duel.

Subplots

The rivalry between PSG and Barcelona goes beyond the scoreline.

Neymar’s 2017 transfer from Barcelona to PSG remains a defining moment, fueling lingering tension and adding extra intensity to every encounter between the clubs.

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Lionel Messi’s move to Paris in 2021 added another chapter, turning the fixture into a meeting of former icons.

Tonight, Luis Enrique faces his former club as PSG’s coach, blending professional focus with personal history.

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