Barcelona host Paris Saint-Germain at Camp Nou for the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 on Tuesday. Neymar will no longer adapt to PSG after the Brazilian star suffered a leg injury last week, which means Kylian Mbappe will be the center of attention for Parisians. Neymar’s injury also doubts his status in the second leg. Lionel Messi and Barcelona, however, are in good form in the Spanish League after scoring five goals last weekend. Barça are the favorites to enter the tie, while both teams have been underwhelming and inconsistent displays throughout the season so far.
All Champions League matches are broadcast on CBS All Access. Here’s how you can watch Barcelona vs PSG and what to know:
Viewing information
Meeting: Tuesday, February 16 | Time: 3 pm Eastern Time
Localization: Camp Nou – Barcelona, Spain
TV: CBS Sports Network | Live broadcast: CBS All Access
Chances: Barge -113; Draw +280; PSG +290 (via William Hill Sportsbook)
Live updates: Barcelona vs. PSG
Want more Champions League coverage? The Que Golazo podcast shows a preview of the program that brings everything you need to know for the start of the round of 16. Listen below:
Storylines
Barcelona: Which Barça will we take, the one who plays well in La Liga or the one who fights in the cups? The team’s recent World Cup performances have been disheartening, to say the least. Barça just lost to Sevilla in the Copa del Rey semifinal, needed extra time to beat Granada in the quarterfinals, lost the Spanish Super Cup final, and their last UCL game was a 3-0 loss to Juventus in defeat of the group. This team has been absolutely poor when it matters most, and although in most seasons it looks like an opponent, it certainly isn’t this season. The lack of quality in attacking alongside Messi, combined with a leaky defense means that he can get ugly. They must be at their best to win this first leg.
PSG: Mauricio Pochettino makes his debut in the competition for the club after the replacement of Thomas Tuchel, who comes after a worrying presentation against Nice. PSG beat them 2-1 on Saturday, but the defense was far from sharp. Marquinhos presented Nice with a terrible mistake, and his ability to close quickly in the middle was not determined. But Marco Verratti will be available for this match, giving PSG a much needed boost in the middle. If PSG can keep up the pressure on Messi and stay fit on the counterattack, the team will be well positioned.
Prediction
Barça have scored goals from Messi, but the weak defense gives PSG enough opportunities to end the first leg as a favorite to move on. To choose: Barge 2, PSG 2
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