Similarities and differences from the last meeting with PSG

FC Barcelona and PSG are about to meet in the Champions League, three years after they last crossed paths. That was in the round of 16 in 2020/21, in empty stadiums due to Covid-19 and with the Parisians avenging defeat on the night of Barça's famous 6-1 comeback in 2017 by advancing to the quarter finals with a 5-2 victory on aggregate.

With thoughts of that memorable night four years earlier in their minds, when three late goals secured the most extraordinary of escape acts, Barça were utterly stunned in their own ground as they were heavily defeated 4-1. They had to go to Parc des Princes in search of another miracle, but this time it didn't happen and the second leg ended 1-1 and the Champions League adventure was over for the Catalans. But a new era was about to begin, with Joan Laporta as president and Ronald Koeman as manager.

Different squads

Only five members of the Barça squad of 2021 remain at the club, namely Marc-André ter Stegen, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Ronald Araujo and Sergi Roberto. The first three all started, but the Uruguayan and the man who is now captain of the team were both out injured.

Kylian Mbappé was the main artifice of PSG's performances three years ago, scoring no fewer than four goals in the two games, and he is still at the club today. Rafinha Alcántara, who had moved from Barça to Paris the summer before, is also still there, as are Ousmane Dembélé and Arnau Tenas, who have both switched between the two clubs since.

But that's all. Otherwise both clubs have a totally changed set of playing staff, and new managers too, so any comparison between then and now are, to a large extent, purely academic.