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”
Mexico to kick off 2026 World Cup against South Africa
- Mexico’s co-hosts the United States and Canada will join the party the next day
- Defending champions Argentina were grouped with Algeria, Austria and debutants Jordan
- Five-times winners Brazil will play Morocco — semifinalists in 2022 — Haiti and Scotland
WASHINGTON: The 2026 World Cup will kick off on June 11 with joint-hosts Mexico playing South Africa at the Azteca Stadium — iconic venue of the 1970 and 1986 finals — followed by South Korea against a playoff winner after the complex draw was made on Friday.
South Africa are appearing for the first time since 2010, when they drew with Mexico in the opening match but failed to reach the knockout stage.
Mexico’s co-hosts the United States and Canada will join the party the next day, against Paraguay and a playoff winner — possibly Italy — respectively in Los Angeles and Toronto.
The draw for the expanded 48-team tournament, with six berths still to be filled via a series of playoffs, was hugely complicated due to various geographical sub-clauses.
However, even the lengthy draw seemed short after an opening ceremony of over an hour that included US President Donald Trump being awarded the new FIFA peace prize.
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS ARGENTINA START AGAINST ALGERIA
Defending champions Argentina were grouped with Algeria, Austria and debutants Jordan, while five-times winners Brazil will play Morocco — semifinalists in 2022 — Haiti and Scotland.
The Scots are appearing in the finals for the first time since 1998, when they lost to Brazil in the opening game, while Haiti’s only previous appearance came in 1974.
France’s first game will be versus Senegal in a repeat of one of the biggest tournament upsets, when the Africans stunned the then-holders in their first game of the 2002 tournament. Norway and one of the playoff winners complete their group.
England will start against Croatia, who beat them in the 2018 semifinals, and also face Panama, who they thrashed 6-1 in the group stage in the same tournament, and Ghana.
Debutants Curacao, with a population of 150,000 making them by far the smallest country ever to reach the finals, face Germany, Ecuador and the Ivory Cost.
World number one-ranked Spain have a dream draw alongside debutants Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
The Netherlands are with Japan, Tunisia and a playoff winner, Belgium have Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, while Portugal face debutants Uzbekistan, Colombia and a playoff winner.
The teams outside the hosts’ groups will have to wait until Saturday to find out the venues and kickoff times for their games after soccer’s world governing body FIFA attempts to optimize them relating to the various worldwide TV markets.
A newly introduced seeding system ensures that the current top four in the world — Spain, holders Argentina, 2022 runners-up France and England — cannot meet until the semifinal stage if they win their groups.
