Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Xavi gets the better of Luis Enrique as Barça edge PSG in first leg

Written by 
Published in Soccer
Wednesday, 10 April 2024 18:00

PARIS -- In a week that has seen some of the best clubs in world football facing each other and offering some superb games, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona did not disappoint at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.

Without reaching the height in intensity and quality of Tuesday's 3-3 draw between Real Madrid and Manchester City, Barça's 3-2 win was another rollercoaster of emotions and of domination. But as the Catalans left the stadium and the French capital to head back to prepare for the second leg next week, they will be the ones feeling boosted, while the Parisians will head home with bags of anxiety.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Each team had their moment, each manager had their moment, and the game can easily be summed up as the tale of two coaches. PSG boss Luis Enrique was quite brutal with his counterpart Xavi Hernandez in his pre match press conference, dissing his former captain's performances as manager compared to his own. But Xavi got his revenge on the pitch. His plan, using striker Robert Lewandowski as a focal point -- a job he did marvellously well -- and Raphinha as a runner off him, worked perfectly.

Since Xavi announced that he planned to leave at the end of the season a few weeks ago, pretty much everything has gone right for Barcelona. His tactics work, his team are playing great, and his players are fully on board and delivering for him. On Wednesday, after PSG's storm at the start of the second half, Barça found themselves 2-1 down in the space of three minutes. Xavi was able to rectify things by bringing on Pedri and switching Raphinha from the left wing to the right. The impact was immediate with a wonderful pass from Pedri for the Brazilian to make it 2-2. And to prove that everything is going Xavi's way, he sent Andreas Christensen on after 75 minutes and, with his first touch -- a header on a corner -- the former Chelsea defender gave Barca the win. The great Xavi momentum was very much on show.

The same can't be said about Luis Enrique. Wednesday's match was PSG's first defeat in 27 games -- a streak held since the start of November -- but the Paris manager will have to take the blame for this loss. His initial plan to start Marco Asensio as a false 9, despite hardly playing lately, Lee Kang-In in midfield, and Marquinhos at right-back didn't work at all. Luis Enrique changed everything at half-time, bringing Bradley Barcola on for Asensio, having Lucas Hernández and Marquinhos switch in defence, and getting Ousmane Dembélé and Lee to play between the lines. It worked for 15 minutes. PSG took the lead with two great goals, but it didn't last for long enough, even if they did hit the woodwork twice.

Xavi won the tactical battle in the first round of this tie. There is a second round coming up and the PSG head coach will have to find the right answers this time and not getting pretty much everything wrong like he did on Wednesday.

"I was not surprised by Xavi's tactical plan," Luis Enrique said after the game. "I knew [Barcelona] would play long on Lewandowski to beat our press."

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, yet Luis Enrique was incapable of finding a way to nullify Barca's tactics.

One of the answers the PSG boss will need to find for the second leg will be how to get Kylian Mbappé in better positions. Because Wednesday was not his night, not at all. It is rare when Mbappé fails to impact a game but, against Barcelona, he was spectacularly ineffectual. The Paris born-and-bred superstar lost the ball 13 times, had three shots, none on target, only had one successful dribble out of five, and only won three duels out of 12. He had long spells in the game where he was anonymous and, when he was on the ball, he kept making the wrong decisions.

Throughout this Champions League campaign, the France captain has been PSG's main guy and the one making the difference for his team. His six goals so far in the competition were key to Paris reaching the quarterfinals. He carried his team more often than not but, on Wednesday, he was a hinderance. Mbappé never looked like he was connected to the rest of the team. Maybe the fact that he has been playing less lately in the league -- like against Marseille when Luis Enrique took him off after 65 minutes -- was a problem fitness-wise on Wednesday?

It's not really an excuse for his off display. And when Mbappé is not having a good day, PSG feel it. He scored a hat trick the last time he was in Barcelona with Paris, so maybe it will be different next week?

Regardless, Mbappé and PSG will have to do something they have never done before: Five times in their history, they have lost the first leg of a Champions League tie and five times they were knocked out after not being able to turn things around in the second leg. If they want to reach the semifinals, they will have to make history and do it for the first time on Tuesday in Barcelona. Their own Remontada, basically.

Read 166 times

Soccer

Chelsea beat Everton to reignite UCL hopes

Chelsea beat Everton to reignite UCL hopes

Chelsea climbed back into contention for next season's Champions League with a 1-0 home win over Eve...

Pride stage late comeback, avoid 2nd straight loss

Pride stage late comeback, avoid 2nd straight loss

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDefending National Women's Soccer League champions Orlando Pride er...

Senator wants travel policies eased before '26 WC

Senator wants travel policies eased before '26 WC

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSen. Ron Wyden of Oregon has asked top Trump administration officia...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Trent explodes for 37 with 9 3s to key Bucks' win

Trent explodes for 37 with 9 3s to key Bucks' win

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers gave two reasons...

Celts vent after loss: Refs not controlling play

Celts vent after loss: Refs not controlling play

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsORLANDO, Fla. -- In Game 1, a flagrant foul by the Orlando Magic se...

Baseball

Mariners ace Gilbert exits with forearm tightness

Mariners ace Gilbert exits with forearm tightness

EmailPrintSeattle Mariners All-Star pitcher Logan Gilbert left his start against the Miami Marlins o...

Skenes deals best 'stuff' to shut down Dodgers

Skenes deals best 'stuff' to shut down Dodgers

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLOS ANGELES -- Paul Skenes fell behind in the count 3-1 to Shohei O...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated