Time for revenge? Paris-Saint-Germain inherited FC Barcelona in the draw for the knockout stages of the Champions League on Monday, December 14. Four years after the historic comeback suffered in 2017 by the Parisians, PSG, reigning European vice-champion, will have the opportunity to redeem themselves in the eyes of their supporters. After winning 4-0 in the round of 16 first leg, the Parisians sank in the second leg, conceding a scathing 6-1 at Camp Nou.
The first leg, which will take place in February in Barcelona, will also be the occasion for the hoped-for reunion between the Parisian striker Neymar, who came out injured on Sunday in the match against Lyon, and his former accomplice Lionel Messi. The Brazilian striker of PSG no longer hides his intention to play again soon with the Argentinian, six-fold Golden Ball. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi refused to discuss the situation of a player under contract with another club. On the other side of the Pyrenees, the Argentinian “Pulga”, who wanted to leave for a while last summer, drags her spleen and approaches the last six months of her contract, which ends next June, against a backdrop of club presidency elections in January.
The PSG given favorite?
Barça, current eighth in La Liga, is experiencing a difficult reconstruction, on the ruins of the historic beating received against Bayern (8-2) during the quarterfinals of C1 in August. From the departure of Luis Suarez to the nagging problems of a defense under construction, the Catalan formation, trained by Ronald Koeman, does not appear as well armed as in 2017. However, it seems rushed to give the favorite PSG against Barça, the club from the capital has just given up its leading position in Ligue 1 in Lille after its defeat on Sunday against Olympique Lyonnais.
The round of 16 of the C1 will take place on February 16, 17, 23 and 24 for the first leg matches and on March 9, 10, 16 and 17 for the return matches.
In addition, in the Europa League, Lille, the only French club still in the running, will be opposed to Ajax Amsterdam in the round of 16 (first leg at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq).
Champions League: all round of 16
In addition to Barcelona-PSG, the draw for the knockout stages of the Champions League also reserved Monday, December 14 other beautiful posters such as Atlético de Madrid-Chelsea or Lazio de Rome-Bayern Munich. First leg matches February 16-17 and 23-24, return March 9-10 and 16-17.
Mönchengladbach (GER) – Manchester City (ENG)
Lazio Rome (ITA) – Bayern Munich (GER)
Atlético Madrid (ESP) – Chelsea (ENG)
RB Leipzig (GER) – Liverpool (ENG)
Porto (POR) – Juventus Turin (ITA)
FC Barcelona (ESP) – Paris-Saint-Germain (FRA)
Sevilla FC (ESP) – Borussia Dortmund (GER)
Atalanta Bergamo (ITA) – Real Madrid (ESP)
