Time for prayers to avoid the worst and have the best.
This Friday in Nyon, shortly after noon, PSG will know the fate that the draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League which will be played on April 9-10 and 16-17 has in store for it.
In the process, UEFA will unveil the semi-final table, the road to reaching the final at Wembley on June 1, 2024.
Only twice in the QSI era have Paris passed the quarter-final stage, including once in 2020 with only one match to play in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
For this stage which has seen the French champion stumble four times since 2013, the big names are there and none, apart from Inter Milan, finalist of the last edition and well ahead of Serie A, has left the competition prematurely.
So much so that this Friday, Luis Enrique's men can inherit the two behemoths of this C1.
On one side, Manchester City, title holder, on the other Real Madrid, future club of Kylian Mbappé.
Quite simply.
Certainly, the Madrilenians remain in a ric-rac qualification against Leipzig and were greatly helped by refereeing that was as faulty as it was lenient, but a particular alchemy was created in this team when the legendary anthem of this event rang out.
Behind the two giants, there are those to be wary of and who promise an intense battle in the event of a draw.
Atlético Madrid, which has just defeated Inter Milan, is an opponent that is always difficult to maneuver.
Arsenal, finally, comes out of a complicated eighth against Porto.
The Gunners perhaps lack experience and have not played at this level for fourteen years.
But the Premier League leader, with the best attack and the best defense, would be a formidable opponent.
“No one wants to come across PSG”
To these four, we must add Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona, which we will classify in the “injured beasts” category.
In addition to being left behind in their respective championships, the two teams share the common point of having two coaches, Thomas Tuchel and Xavi, who will leave the ship at the end of the season.
They have experience of major events and their return match in the round of 16 against Lazio Rome and Naples suggest a return to form at the best of times.
As for Dortmund, fourth in the Bundesliga, it is the team that all Parisian supporters hope to draw and that the French champion knows well.
Last December 13, during the group phase, PSG came close to going off the road on the lawn of Signal Iduna Park (1-1) but had generally mastered the Germans at the opening of the competition (2-0, on 19 september).
Asked on Wednesday about the team he wanted to meet, Luis Enrique did not comment, admitting however to having “preferences”.
“I loved the matches I was able to see on Tuesday in the Champions League.
It's great to be able to watch matches knowing you're qualified.
What I know, however, is that no one wants to come across PSG.
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