Paris Saint-Germain will meet Barcelona on October 1 in the UEFA Champions League league phase, with both clubs heading into the encounter on the back of strong opening victories. PSG swept aside Atalanta 4-0, while Barcelona earned a 2-1 win away at Newcastle United courtesy of a Marcus Rashford brace.
Despite missing Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé against Atalanta, PSG showed little difficulty as they struck twice in each half to secure a comfortable win. Barcelona, meanwhile, demonstrated resilience at St James’ Park, capitalising on Rashford’s sharp finishing to begin their campaign on a positive note.
Barcelona could receive a major boost ahead of the clash, with reports indicating that Gavi may be fit to return in time for the match. The Spanish international has been sidelined but could feature if his recovery progresses over the next two weeks.
The fixture brings together two of the competition’s leading contenders, both widely tipped as favourites to lift the trophy this season. Last term, Barcelona and PSG seemed destined to meet in the final, only for Inter Milan to halt the Spanish side in the semifinals.
French football journalist Bernard Lions believes Barcelona may hold a slight edge over the reigning champions. “I’m really placing a bet on Barcelona,” he said. “Last year, they came close, and this team is only getting stronger, much like Lamine Yamal. With a top player like Rashford added to the mix, it’ll be interesting to see how the season unfolds. Their starting 11 is already impressive, and their bench brings both depth and experience. I think they’ll be motivated to bounce back after last season’s elimination at Giuseppe Meazza against Inter. On top of that, they didn’t participate in the Club World Cup, which gives them a huge advantage—they haven’t been worn down like PSG, and that’s a risk PSG now faces.”
With two of Europe’s most powerful squads going head-to-head, the match promises to be one of the standout fixtures of the Champions League’s early stages.
