“Mbappé challenges Messi”, “Luxury duel”… The same two faces appear on the front pages of the four main sports dailies in Spain.
In the absence of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are overexposed a few hours before the confrontation between FC Barcelona and PSG at Camp Nou on Tuesday evening.
They are “the present and the future,” Marca explains in her opening pages.
“The king of current football faces his heir.
At stake, there is also their future: Leo looks towards PSG while Real Madrid aim for the French.
"
For the other Madrid daily, AS, "the two cracks arrive launched in this duel of the Champions League".
"Mbappé once faced Messi, during the World Cup and France won," recalls the newspaper.
During the 5 pages devoted to this match in the columns of Marca, we also recall the ambition of these two clubs.
"Desperately looking for the Champions League," we read with a photo of President Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.
They
(Barça and PSG)
have spent colossal sums for 4 years to reach the European holy grail.
"
Barcelona press review.
The four main sports dailies in Spain feature the Barça-PSG shock.
One thing in common: everyone is focused on the Messi-Mbappé duel.
"The one who approaches", launches Marca, reference to a popular series of the late 2000s #FCBPSG pic.twitter.com/8yHkfoBTcH
- Le Parisien - PSG (@le_Parisien_PSG) February 16, 2021
The Catalan press is more talkative.
Sixteen pages on the meeting for the daily Sport, a dozen for its competitor Mundo Deportivo.
And the atmosphere is not so positive around Barça.
"We must fight skepticism", "Barça is alive": this is what write various editorialists.
"The confrontation will take place over two matches," said journalist Carles Rexach.
I say it again because, for me, it is important that Barça do not want to settle everything today.
For me, getting to 0-0 in Paris would not be a drama.
"
"Dreams and scars"
"Dreams and scars", Sport title in its first pages, recalling that Barça has suffered in recent years in Europe, with heavy defeats, especially last summer against Bayern Munich (8-2).
"It's the moment of truth for Barça de Koeman" against a PSG still considered favorite despite the absences of Neymar and Di Maria.
"The PSG is lethal by exploiting the speed and the spaces", continues the newspaper in a paper devoted to the tactics.
The Messi-Navas duel is also highlighted: the Argentine has already scored seven times against the Costa Rican.
Finally, Mundo Deportivo evokes a last match in the match: Ronald Koeman against Mauricio Pochettino.
They played against each other on the lawns of La Liga in the heart of the 1990s. The Dutchman later replaced the Argentinian on the bench at Southampton.
"Koeman won as a player, Pochettino as a coach," we can learn.
Who will have the greatest influence on the meeting?
See you tonight at Camp Nou, 9 p.m.
Be on time.