Barcelona entertain PSG on Tuesday
Barcelona host Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night with one foot already in the semi-finals.
Luis Enrique’s side beat the Ligue 1 champions 3-1 in the first leg at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday thanks in large part to a second-half brace from forward Luis Suarez.
That result in the French capital means Barca are now within touching distance of a seventh semi-final appearance in Europe’s premier club competition in the last eight seasons.
However, a late own goal from centre-back Jeremy Mathieu has offered PSG a glimmer of hope, with right-back Dani Alves warning his side against complacency ahead of the return at the Camp Nou.
"We will not speculate with the result because we don't know how to," Alves told the club’s official website.
"The philosophy and the spirit of the team is to challenge for every ball as if it was the last.
"We cannot think about our advantage, but just control the game and look to score from the first minute. That is the only way to overcome PSG."
Luis Suarez celebrates scoring against PSG on Wednesday
PSG, though, will need to become the first team since Bayern Munich nearly two years ago to beat Barcelona by more than one goal at home to progress to what would be a first Champions League semi-final since 1995.
And midfielder Blaise Matuidi has admitted he and his team-mates will have to defend much better than they did in the first leg to stand any chance of causing an upset in Catalonia this week.
"We must above all go without any complex and try everything to achieve what would be an amazing feat,” he said.
"We will be keen to show something different from the first-leg and primarily defend well because that's what we missed at the Parc des Princes."
Team news
Brazil international Alves returns after suspension, while midfielder Andres Iniesta is also expected to feature after overcoming the back bruising he suffered in Paris.
PSG captain Thiago Silva misses out after failing to recover in time from the thigh strain he sustained in the first encounter on Wednesday, while the visitors will also be without injured midfielder Thiago Motta and the banned Serge Aurier.
However, coach Laurent Blanc will have the likes of skipper Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti available after both missed the first leg through suspension.
Lionel Messi scored his 400th goal for Barcelona in a 2-0 win against Valencia at the weekend
Betting
PSG are 16/1 with Sky Bet to overcome their first-leg deficit and make the Champions League semi-finals, as Barcelona are expected to cruise through.
The La Liga leaders are just 4/11 to progress with another win and4/1 to play out a draw, with Laurent Blanc’s men 13/2 outsiders on the night.
With former favourites Bayern needing to overturn a two-goal deficit, Barca have been installed as the 11/8 favourites to lift the trophy, while PSG are the longest-priced side left in the competition at 150/1.
In the goalscorer betting, Lionel Messi (3/1) is followed by Suarez (4/1), while Ibrahimovic is considered the visitors’ biggest threat at 7/1.
The Soccer Saturday pundits and Jamie Redknapp have made their predictions on www.skybet.com, while there’s also a host of Price Boost available on site.
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