Official: Barcelona starting XI to take on PSG | UCL | OneFootball

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FC Barcelona enter their season-defining clash against Paris Saint-Germain with great enthusiasm. There remains a tinge of uncertainty and nervousness, but this is as good a chance as La Blaugrana could have hoped for. They have all to play for at the Montjuic, and the Barcelona fans themselves are ready for the clash.

Despite having a one-goal cushion to their name, Barcelona will view PSG as equally strong opponents. Both sides will come with their own respective hopes and dreams, as well as tactics that they may want to deploy, but victory is assured to neither team until and unless they deserve it.

Ahead of the game, with much buzz surrounding just how both teams will field their strongest elevens, Xavi Hernandez has already decided which eleven players will get to defend the Barcelona badge. Here is how FC Barcelona is lining up for the encounter.

In goal, German veteran and Barcelona captain Marc-Andre Ter Stegen stands tall. The Blaugrana keeper has an immense clean sheet record going in his favor right now, and he will be hoping that he can contain PSG throughout the game to ensure that it is none other than Barcelona who has the last laugh.

Ahead of him in the defense, Joao Cancelo and Jules Kounde are the two men tasked with covering the flanks. Given how explosive PSG can be in the wide areas, both these elite fullbacks will be expected to keep the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele at bay, something that they have more or less proven to be capable of doing in the first leg.

Between the two fullbacks, Uruguayan juggernaut Ronald Araujo and Spanish pearl Pau Cubarsi are the two central defenders for Barcelona. Both of them are a good match with their respective set of skills and they will be hoping to ensure that PSG have a hard time bypassing their wall.

Over in the midfield, this is where most of the questions were being asked. With both Sergi Roberto and Andreas Christensen suspended for this tie, there was some confusion about what the final three could look like. Ultimately, the gala trio of Ilkay Gundogan, Frenkie De Jong, and Pedri will be taking center stage to exploit PSG as much as possible.

Finally, the attack is an exact copy of the front three that wreaked havoc at the Parc des Princes. Up top, Robert Lewandowski acts as the team’s primary center forward and target man, while his flanks are covered by the talents of Lamine Yamal on the right and the hero of the first leg, Raphinha, on his left.