Barca’s daunting PSG task

As Lionel Messi came to Paris with Barcelona in the Champions League, the inevitable temptation is to think ahead to next season and wonder if the Argentine might be a regular fixture in the French capital.

That remains the nightmare scenario for Barcelona fans, even if their new president Joan Laporta announced following his election victory on Sunday that he was "convinced he wants to stay". Barcelona, like Real Madrid, fear the threat to their status at the top of the European game posed by PSG and Manchester City.

On the evidence of the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, PSG have bypassed Barca. Their 4-1 win at the Camp Nou means it would take a stunning turnaround in Wednesday's return to stop them reaching the quarter-finals.

PSG forward Neymar has been ruled out of tonight's match. Neymar also missed the first leg but his absence barely affected his side, thanks to a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick.

In 2017, Blaugrana secured a memorable comeback, having conceded four goals in the first leg. This time around the story is a bit different, as they will have to score at least four goals in this away fixture.

"If Leo is capable of playing one of his best games, everything is possible. He can decide a game at any moment," Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman told a virtual news conference on Tuesday before his side set off for the French capital.

"But he can't be the only one at the top of his game, everyone needs to be. We also have to have some luck and make sure we take our chances and are as effective in front of goal as possible."