BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said Saturday Paris Saint-Germain were the favorites in their upcoming Champions League quarter-final tussle.
The Catalans, five-time winners of the competition, face former coach Luis Enrique’s French champions, but although PSG are still looking to win the trophy for the first time, Xavi believes they are the stronger side.
“I’d give them the favorites tag — we have won more Champions Leagues, but the economic situation they are in, signing players (compared to) what we can spend, it’s not the same situation,” Xavi told a news conference.
“They won’t beat us on hope, desire, and dreaming though, we watched the draw together and the players are positive and looking forward to competing.
“We have to show it on the pitch — it’s easy to talk and then do nothing — we must speak on the pitch, and show our talent and worth there.”
Led by a rampant Kylian Mbappe, PSG cruised to a 5-2 aggregate victory over Barcelona in the 2020-21 season at the last 16 stage.
However, Luis Enrique’s Barcelona recorded a historic comeback victory to beat PSG 6-1 at Camp Nou in the 2016-17 season, after a 4-0 away defeat, to reach the quarter-finals.
Xavi hailed now PSG coach Luis Enrique, who led the Catalans to the trophy in 2015, the last time the Spanish champions conquered Europe.
“It’s so hard, they are one of the toughest teams we could have drawn,” said Xavi.
“I know Luis Enrique and his staff very well, he is a brilliant coach, and they work very well... but I have confidence and hope.
“We’ve drawn one of the hardest opponents but having the second leg at home is positive for us.”
The Spanish champions travel to Paris for the first leg on April 10, with the second leg at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona on April 16.
This weekend Barcelona, third, visit fourth-place Atletico Madrid in La Liga, looking to extend the six-point gap.
Diego Simeone’s side beat Champions League runners-up Inter Milan on penalties on Wednesday also to reach the quarter-finals, where they face Borussia Dortmund.
“We’re arriving well, but they are in high confidence too,” said Xavi.
“They are a Champions League level team; they showed it the other day and it’s even more true in front of their fans.”
PSG ‘favorites’ in Champions League clash: Barca coach Xavi
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PSG ‘favorites’ in Champions League clash: Barca coach Xavi
- Although PSG are still looking to win the trophy for the first time, Xavi believes they are the stronger side
- “They won’t beat us on hope, desire, and dreaming though, we watched the draw together and the players are positive and looking forward to competing”
FIFA reports a record of 5,973 international transfers in January window
- That marks a 3 percent increase from the previous year in cross-border deals between clubs
- In women’s soccer, clubs spent more than $10 million on international transfers
ZURICH: A record number of 5,973 international transfers were recorded in the January trading window for men’s soccer, according to a FIFA report released Thursday.
That marks a 3 percent increase from the previous year in cross-border deals between clubs in different countries, where the transactions are processed by FIFA.
However, the total spending was down about 18 percent from last year’s record, to $1.95 billion. That’s still some 20 percent more than the previous record from January 2023, FIFA said.
In women’s soccer, clubs spent more than $10 million on international transfers, up 85 percent from the previous record a year ago, while the number of international transfers was down by 6 percent to 420.
The FIFA research does not include domestic transfers of players between two clubs in the same country.
England tops spending
English clubs were again the biggest spenders with a $363 million outlay on transfer fees and recouped just $150 million by selling players to clubs in other countries. Italy followed in second with $283 million, with Brazil, Germany, and France also making the top five.
French clubs benefited most, earning $218 million in transfer sales, followed by Italy, Brazil, England and Spain.
In the United States, clubs spent $99 million and took in $48 million in transfer fees, according to the FIFA research.
English women’s clubs also topped the spending with over $5 million, and also were the biggest earners.
