Barcelona Coach Hansi Flick Sends Clear Warning to PSG | OneFootball

PSG and Barcelona will face each other on October 1 in the UEFA Champions League group stage, both teams carrying strong starts into the matchup.

The reigning Champions League winners kicked off their campaign in dominant fashion, beating Atalanta 4-0 with two goals in each half, even without Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé.

Barcelona followed with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Newcastle United, led by a Marcus Rashford brace. With both clubs considered favorites, this clash could be pivotal in shaping the group standings.

Barcelona Midfield to Play Major Role Against PSG

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Ahead of the Champions League match on Wednesday, PSG received an indirect warning from Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, who will lean on his midfield of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong.

“They are exceptional footballers and are very well connected,” Flick said (h/t Marca). “They know how they want to play, they know each other… it’s fantastic to see this connection. With this duo, it’s harder to press us, and it gives us a lot of possession, creates more space, and that’s the most important thing. I’m very proud of the team.”

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For PSG, Le Parisien reports that Vitinha is expected to be available for the Barcelona match, with nothing particularly alarming about his condition. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has also shown he can bounce back remarkably quickly, so another race against time is underway.

Fabián Ruiz, who was rested, and João Neves both have a good chance of being ready for the game. Paris had hoped Neves could get some minutes this weekend to ease back in.

On the other hand, Désiré Doué is unlikely to rejoin the squad in time for Barcelona. He’s making progress in his recovery, but will probably fall just short for this trip.