PSG vs. Barcelona

European royalty versus European pretenders?

PSG might have wished for anyone but Barcelona especially over two legs as the Spaniards appeared to have found their misplaced mojo.

In Carlo Ancelotti, the French club do possess one of the best tactical minds in world football and a man who has intimate experience in this competition. PSG also posses the one ingredient that Barca fear most and that is pace. Ezequiel Lavezzi has settled well into Parisian life and is a deadly finisher and then there is the revenge factor.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic believes that he was run out of the Camp Nou during his brief stay in the Catalan capital while Thiago Motta is probably still smarting after falling victim to Sergio Busquets oscar winning performance in 2010 that saw him see red in their epic semi-final in Spain.

If there is a doubt about PSG it could be a lack of strong leaders when the going gets tough and trust me, it will.

All eyes will be on Lionel Messi as the Argentine continues to add superlatives after his name. One truly wonders what he’s going to do next however the worry must be what the team will do if he has one of his rare off days.

Barca do not look secure at the back and against a counter-attacking PSG, they’ll be more than a few nervous moments. Victor Valdes could be the key and overlooked man in this entire equation. The Barca keeper is capable of the exceptional and he’ll need to maintain absolute concentration throughout the 180 minutes.

Royalty or the pretenders…?