It was not the Barça of the very great years.
But, to realize the performance of PSG, we have to go back in time.
FC Barcelona had not been eliminated from the knockout stages of the Champions League since the 2006-2007 season.
Paris had suffered the law of the Catalans three times in the knockout phase.
The capital club has just put an end to thirteen years of continuous presence of FC Barcelona in the European top 8.
Paris has excluded a cador, and this will count in the draw for the quarter-finals, scheduled for March 19.
Among the opponents already present: Borussia Dortmund, FC Porto and Liverpool, qualified this week.
In a few days, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid are expected as members of the top 8 2020-2021.
These four teams have won the away leg and will host their respective opponents next Tuesday and Wednesday.
The most in danger seems to be Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid, irregular as possible, not immune to a turnaround against the sharp attackers of Atalanta Bergamo.
A credible candidate for final victory
PSG will not be the huge favorite of the table.
But the finalist of the last edition climbed on the podium of the contenders, behind Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
This is not a statement, it is the result of odds set by sports betting sites.
When Paris has odds of 6 (you multiply the bet by 6), Real Madrid is 15. FC Porto goes up to 40!
Without disrespecting the Portuguese team, this draw would be the most favorable to Mauricio Pochettino's team.
Porto eliminated Juventus Turin, a feat, but are only third in their league.
PSG would be the huge favorite of such a double confrontation.
If we follow the advice of bookmakers, the most "favorable" opponents would be in this order: Porto, Dortmund, Real, Chelsea, Liverpool, Bayern, City.
But if we reverse the points of view, for whom would PSG be a “good draw”?
No one.
The team of Kylian Mbappé and Neymar does not yet inspire great fear.
But his latest results, the 2020 final and the 4-1 foil at Camp Nou have left their mark on Europe.
The days of the simple “nouveau riche” club are over: PSG is a credible candidate for final victory.
PSG can rely on one of the best hinges in Europe, the Kimpembe-Marquinhos duo.
LP / Arnaud Journois
Several factors remain, not all of which are in his hands.
Workforce management is one of them.
Against Barça, Paris managed to qualify without Neymar, a first since the arrival of the Brazilian.
Could he repeat that against Bayern Munich or Manchester City?
Nothing is less sure.
The fight for Ligue 1, more competitive than ever, will gain strength from Mauricio Pochettino's workforce.
The Argentinian will have the task of controlling the efforts of his people.
The Covid-19 is another element to follow.
The Parisian group is almost immune (20 contaminated players and staff).
But health restrictions against the English variant exist.
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During the round of 16, the two German-British confrontations were relocated to Budapest (Hungary), for the outward and return journey.
It remains to be seen whether PSG can be impacted in the event of a draw against an English or German club.