CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Barcelona injury update for Champions League quarter-final against PSG: De Jong, Gavi, Balde
Two squad members return to the list while seven players head into Wednesday’s first leg in Paris just one booking away from suspension.
Barcelona head into Wednesday’s Champions League quarter final clash with PSG buoyed by the return of two key players but forced to tread carefully as seven members of Xavi Hernández are at risk of missing the crucial return leg at the Lluis Companys.
Midfield pair back after five weeks out
Frenkie de Jong and Pedri have both been included in the coach’s 25-man squad for the trip to Paris although neither player has received the medical all-clear. Both were injured in the league game against Athletic Club on 3 March. De Jong has sat out the last four games while recovering from an ankle injury while Pedri has spent the same amount of time sidelined with a hamstring injury. Just two players remain in the sickbay: Gavi who is recovering from an ACL tear and Alex Balde, who underwent surgery to repair the tendon in his right hamstring at the end of January.
De Jong could start against PSG but it’s unlikely that Xavi will include Pedri in his initial XI. Depending on how the game develops, he could be introduced during the later stages.
Risk of suspension
Several Barça players must proceed with extreme caution at Parc des Princes as they are just one booking away from suspension. Out of all of them, perhaps Ronald Araújo is the one who must avoid going into the book at all costs as well as being the one at most risk as he will be tasked with marking Mbappé. Andreas Christensen, who will be deployed in the holding midfield role, is also one yellow away from completing the cycle. He is a fundamental player for Xavi in his new position and in the last games against Atlético and Las Palmas the coach has reserved him precisely with this game against PSG in mind.
On either flank, De Jong and Sergi Roberto must also tread with care. The captain is a reliable substitute for Christensen but Xavi wouldn’t want to lose either for the return trip. In attack, three players will be treading a fine line - Lamine Yamal, who will also be called on to drop back and keep Mbappé at bay; João Félix and Ferran Torres will probably start on the bench in favour of Raphinha and Lewandowski but both will need to keep a cool head if they come on.
The good news is that all yellow cards will be reset once the quarter finals are concluded. The rule was implemented from the 2014/2015 season onwards to prevent players from missing the Champions League final due to accumulated yellow cards, as happened to Xabi Alonso in the 2014 Lisbon final.
Possible starting XIs
Paris Saint-Germain:
- Donnarumma; Zaire-Emery, Marquinhos, Skriniar, Lucas Hernández; Ugarte, Fabián, Vitinha; Dembélé, Kolo Muani, Mbappé.
Barcelona:
- Ter Stegen; Cancelo, Araújo, Cubarsí, Koundé; De Jong, Christensen, Gündogan; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal.
As for the hosts, Luis Enrique is without right-back Achraf Hakimi and Presnel Kimpembe. Achraf is suspended after being booked in the last round against Real Sociedad while the French centre-back has been out for over a year with a ruptured Achilles.
Three PSG players must avoid being booked and face a one-match ban: Lucas Hernández, Milan Skriniar and Manuel Ugarte - the latter started four of the last five league games but has been on the bench in this competition for most of the knockout stage.
The game between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona will be played on Wednesday 10 April 2024 at Parc des Princes in Paris, kicking off at 3 p.m. ET/ 12 noon PT. You can follow the action live on AS USA ahead of kick-off.