Barcelona’s stunning 3-2 victory over Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday has positioned them favorably to advance to the Champions League semi-finals, pending the outcome of next week’s second leg at the Estadi Olimpic in Montjuic.
Manager Xavi Hernandez played a pivotal role in guiding his team to victory, with substitutes Pedri providing an assist and Andreas Christensen scoring the winning goal.
PSG manager Luis Enrique faced criticism from French football expert Jonathan Johnson (as reported by CaughtOffside) for his tactical decisions during the defeat.
Johnson pointed out several questionable choices made by Enrique, including deploying Lucas Hernandez on the right side of central defense, a position unfamiliar to him.
The decision to move Hernandez to right-back in the second half further destabilized PSG’s defense, with Marquinhos shifted to the central position.
Additionally, the absence of Warren Zaire-Emery from the starting lineup was deemed a mistake, while the deployment of Ousmane Dembele on the wing instead of in his preferred central role raised eyebrows.
One of the most puzzling decisions, according to Johnson, was using Marco Asensio as a false-nine, a tactic that did not yield positive results and resulted in his substitution at halftime.
This tactical uncertainty contributed to Kylian Mbappe’s subdued performance, marking one of the weakest outings of his season.
Despite some bright moments, such as Vitinha’s goal, PSG faces an uphill battle as they head to the Nou Camp for the second leg.
Barcelona’s impressive performance has left them in the driver’s seat, and avoiding defeat on Tuesday would see them through to the Champions League semi-finals, where they would await the winner between Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
Enrique will have the opportunity to rectify the team’s shortcomings in the return leg, but Barcelona’s commanding position underscores their strength heading into the decisive fixture.
While PSG still harbors hope of a comeback, there are undeniable questions that need addressing by Enrique as they aim to overturn the deficit and keep their Champions League aspirations alive.
