SBNation.com - Barcelona vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 2015 Champions League: Neymar the star for Blaugranahttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46737/sbn-fave.png2015-04-21T16:35:45-04:00http://www.sbnation.com/rss/stream/82273862015-04-21T16:35:45-04:002015-04-21T16:35:45-04:00Neymar guides Barca to win over PSG
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<p>Neymar and Co. made it look easy.</p> <p>Paris Saint-Germain were, unsurprisingly, no match for Barcelona on Tuesday evening. The Blaugrana entered the second leg of their Champions League tie up two goals, and they didn't really have to do much but pass the ball in circles at Camp Nou. They decided to do a little more than that anyway, scoring twice to secure a 5-1 aggregate victory and progression to the semifinals.</p>
<p>It took no time at all for Barca to essentially end the tie. Andres Iniesta set up Neymar's first goal with a sensational run that started in his own half. He burst past a pair of PSG players before hitting a perfect through ball to Neymar, who rounded Salvatore Sirigu and scored a tap-in.</p>
<p>Neymar posted his second of the night 20 minutes later, and once again, the assist was spectacular. This time, Dani Alves set it up with a couple of stepovers and an impressive cross that Neymar headed in.</p>
<p>Very little happened in the second half, as both teams went through the motions. PSG were a bit better, but never really looked like scoring.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.barcablaugranes.com/" class="sbn-auto-link"><b>Barcelona</b></a>: ter Stegen, Alba, Mascherano, Pique, Alves, Busquets (Roberto 55'), Rakitic, Iniesta (Xavi 46'), Neymar, Messi, Suarez (Pedro 75')</p>
<p><i>Goals</i>: Neymar (14', 34')</p>
<p><b>Paris Saint-Germain</b>: Sirigu, Maxwell, Luiz, Marquinhos, van der Wiel, Matuidi (Rabiot 80'), Verratti, Cabaye (Lucas 66'), Pastore, Ibrahimovic, Cavani (Lavezzi 80')</p>
<p><i>Goals</i>: None.</p>
<h3>3 things</h3>
<p><b>1. Neymar is really good</b> - Lionel Messi is the best player in the world and Luis Suarez had scored 14 goals in 15 games coming into this game, but don't forget about Neymar, who's probably a top-five player on earth in his own right. Both of his goals in this game were great, and they were different. He keeps getting better and it's terrifying for non-Barca fans.</p>
<p><b>2. Playing unfit players is dumb</b> - David Luiz is a good defender. David Luiz has not been fit for either game and he's played anyway. David Luiz has been made to look like a complete moron. This was a bad decision by Laurent Blanc.</p>
<p><b>3. PSG haven't ascended to the next level yet</b> - There's a top tier of teams occupied by Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona, with honorary member Atlético Madrid for their specific knockout competition prowess. Then there's a second tier of five to 10 excellent teams who can upset great sides on their day, but probably can't win Champions League. PSG are in that second tier for the third straight season, and don't look like they'll soon crack the first.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2015/4/21/8463409/barcelona-paris-saint-germain-2015-final-score-champions-league-resultsKim McCauley2015-04-21T15:26:14-04:002015-04-21T15:26:14-04:00Neymar makes it 2-0 on the night
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<p>They're already dead!</p> <p><iframe frameborder="0" height="600" width="600" src="https://vine.co/v/eaJJ3nUOZX6/embed/simple"></iframe>
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<p>Poor Paris Saint-Germain surely didn't expect to win this game, but they probably hoped they'd at least give it a good go. As it is, they're 2-0 down away to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.barcablaugranes.com/">Barcelona</a> on the night, making it 5-1 on aggregate. We're not even at halftime yet. Check out this great goal which <span>Dani Alves</span> laid on for Neymar.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2015/4/21/8463563/neymar-adds-another-against-paris-saint-germainJack Sargeant2015-04-21T15:02:46-04:002015-04-21T15:02:46-04:00Iniesta and Neymar destroy PSG
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<p>Not that they were coming back anyway.</p> <p><iframe src="https://vine.co/v/eaJbvEDMMjw/embed/simple" width="600" height="600" frameborder="0"></iframe>
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<p>What's better here? The run and pass from Andres Iniesta or the round the keeper move from Neymar? Incredible goal, and 1-0 <a href="https://www.barcablaugranes.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Barcelona</a> over PSG.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2015/4/21/8463481/barcelona-psg-score-update-neymar-goalKim McCauley2015-04-21T13:52:52-04:002015-04-21T13:52:52-04:00Ibrahimovic returns to PSG lineup against Barca
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<p>Paris Saint-Germain's headline star is back in the lineup as the French side hopes for a miracle against Barcelona in Spain.</p> <p>If Paris Saint-Germain are going to pull off a second straight Champions League upset after going down 3-1 in the first leg, they need their big guns back and playing well. With Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti returning from their suspensions, their attack is back to full strength, so now the pressure is on them to perform.</p>
<p>For <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.barcablaugranes.com/">Barcelona</a>, there's no surprises in the lineup. <span>Dani Alves</span> is back in the lineup after serving a suspension of his own, and otherwise this is the same squad that faced PSG in France. If the group plays as well this week as they did in the first leg, well, this should be a pretty straightforward result.</p>
<p><b>Barcelona starting lineup (4-3-3)</b>: Marc Andre Ter Stegen; Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, <span>Javier Mascherano</span>, <span>Jordi Alba</span>; Ivan Rakitic, <span>Sergio Busquets</span>, Andres Iniesta; <span>Lionel Messi</span>, Luis Suarez, Neymar</p>
<p><b>Paris Saint-Germain starting lineup (4-3-3)</b>: Salvatore Sirigu; Gregory Van der Wiel, Marquihos, David Luiz, Maxwell; Marco Verratti, Yohan Cabaye, Blaise Matuidi; Edinson Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Javier Pastore</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2015/4/21/8463093/barcelona-paris-saint-germain-2015-champions-league-team-news-lineupConor Dowley2015-04-21T11:52:21-04:002015-04-21T11:52:21-04:00How to watch Barcelona vs. PSG
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<p>Zlatan Ibrahimovic and company are really just playing for pride at Camp Nou.</p> <p id="paragraph11">FC Barcelona are marching their way towards a potential treble in their first season under Luis Enrique, and they should book their ticket to the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday. Paris Saint-Germain might put together a better showing than they did in the first leg with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti back, but they'll have serious trouble overcoming the deficit they face.</p>
<p>In last year's knockout stages and this year's group stage, PSG did well at home against Barcelona. But their injury and suspension issues were way too much to overcome in the first leg, as Barca waltzed to a comfortable 3-1 win in France. With the Blaugrana picking up that many away goals, it's tough to see a way back into this tie for PSG.</p>
<p>As if their lead wasn't enough to make <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.barcablaugranes.com/">Barcelona</a> big favorites, their lack of injury issues helps too. The only first team player they're expected to be without is <span>Thomas Vermaelen</span>, who hasn't played all season, and even he's almost fit. Paris Saint-Germain have a lot of players back, but they'll be without Serge Aurier for sure, and there are still questions about the fitness of Thiago Motta and Thiago Silva.</p>
<p><b>Match Date/Time:</b> Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, 8:45 p.m. local</p>
<p id="paragraph12"><b>Venue:</b> Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain</p>
<p id="paragraph13"><b>TV:</b> Fox Sports 1 (U.S. - English), ESPN Deportes (U.S.), Sportsnet regional network (Canada), ITV 1 (U.K.), TVE La 1, TV3, Movistar TV Fútbol (Spain), Canal+ (France)</p>
<p id="paragraph14"><b>Online: </b>Viewers in the United States will have three options to watch this game. For most, the easiest will be <a href="http://www.foxsports.com/foxsportsgo/" target="_blank">FOX Sports Go</a>. You can catch the game for free and in English on that service if you're a TV subscriber to FOX Sports 1. If you have ESPN Deportes, you can also catch the game on <a href="http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index" target="_blank">Watch ESPN</a>, in Spanish. If neither of those work for you, there's also <a href="http://www.foxsoccer2go.com/" target="_blank">FOX Soccer 2 Go</a>, a paid service that doesn't require a TV subscription.</p>
<p><b>U.K.</b>: <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.itv.com%2Fitvplayer%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sbnation.com%2Fsoccer%2F2015%2F4%2F21%2F8462359%2Fparis-saint-germain-barcelona-2015-live-streaming-champions-league-online" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">ITV Player</a></p>
<p><b>Canada</b>: <a href="http://watch.sportsnet.ca/world/" target="_blank">Sportsnet World Now</a></p>
<p id="paragraph15"><a sl-processed="1" data-ref-index="10" href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/">Listings via LiveSoccerTV.</a></p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2015/4/21/8462359/paris-saint-germain-barcelona-2015-live-streaming-champions-league-onlineKim McCauley2015-04-21T07:59:01-04:002015-04-21T07:59:01-04:00Barça look for repeat performance against PSG
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<p>Barça will be hoping to pick up where they left off.</p> <p id="paragraph0">On Tuesday Barcelona will look to finish the job they started away in Paris last week, when Luis Enrique's Catalans netted three away goals en route to a comfortable 3-1 victory in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal. The win means that PSG need to score at least thrice to stand any chance of overturning the first leg's result to make the semifinals. It's a mammoth task for Laurent Blanc's outfit.</p>
<p>It's not hard to envisage the Parisians scoring -- they're buoyed by the return of star striker Zlatan Ibrahimović from suspension -- though it's rather more difficult to imagine them keeping a clean sheet. Barça boast the most dangerous attack in world football, and head into this game in some pretty good form. They recorded a crucial 2-0 win at home to Valencia to maintain their gap over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga on the weekend, and should again cause massive problems for PSG's defence.</p>
<p id="paragraph2"><b>Key player</b> - Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain)</p>
<p id="paragraph3">This season has probably been Marco Verratti's best yet. The young Italian midfielder is slowly but surely maturing into a good midfield all-rounder, having started off as a one-dimensional passer. Against Chelsea in the last round he was excellent with his defensive positioning as well as in his invention, and he'll be instrumental in both winning the ball back and triggering counter-attacks in this match.</p>
<p id="paragraph4"><b>Key Matchup</b> - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.barcablaugranes.com/">Barcelona's</a> attack vs. PSG's defence</p>
<p id="paragraph5">Considering it is the most expensively assembled defence in football, PSG's back line in remarkably shaky. With star man Thiago Silva a doubt for this game, Blanc may be forced into making an already weak defence even weaker, which is a worry when you're up against players like <span>Lionel Messi</span>, Luis Suárez and Neymar. Expect the hosts to add to their tally.</p>
<p id="paragraph6"><b>Barcelona injuries and suspensions</b></p>
<p id="paragraph7"><b>Out: </b>None.<b> In doubt: </b><span>Thomas Vermaelen</span> (thigh).</p>
<p id="paragraph8"><b>Paris Saint-Germain injuries and suspensions</b></p>
<p id="paragraph9"><b>Out: </b>Serge Aurier (suspended).<b> In doubt:</b> Thiago Motta (hamstring), Thiago Silva (thigh)</p>
<p>Barcelona will likely still be without the long-term injured defender Thomas Vermaelen, who is yet to make his debut for the Catalans. Dani Alves is back available after a suspension. PSG will still be without the suspended Serge Aurier, though have Marco Verratti and Zlatan Ibrahimović back available. Thiagos Motta and Silva both face late fitness tests.</p>
<p id="paragraph12"><b>Match Date/Time:</b> Tuesday, 2:45 p.m. ET, 8:45 p.m. local</p>
<p id="paragraph13"><b>Venue:</b> Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain</p>
<p id="paragraph14"><b>TV:</b> Fox Sports 1 (U.S. - English), ESPN Deportes (U.S.), Sportsnet regional network (Canada), ITV 1 (U.K.), TVE La 1, TV3, Movistar TV Fútbol (Spain), Canal+ (France)</p>
<p id="paragraph15"><b>Online: </b>Fox Soccer 2Go, Fox Sports GO, Watch ESPN (U.S.), Sportsnet World Now (Canada), ITV Player (U.K.)</p>
<p id="paragraph16"><a sl-processed="1" data-ref-index="11" href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/">Listings via LiveSoccerTV.</a></p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2015/4/21/8455907/psg-barcelona-2015-champions-league-time-tv-schedule-newsJack Sargeant2015-04-21T02:59:02-04:002015-04-21T02:59:02-04:00Barcelona ready to finish off PSG
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<p>After taking a 3-1 lead in the first leg of this Champions League quarterfinal tie, Barcelona are only a good swift kick away from virtually forcing Paris Saint-Germain to capitulate.</p> <p>Things didn't exactly go to plan for Paris Saint-Germain last week, giving up three away goals to Barcelona and only managing one of their own. They're in desperate straits if they want to find a way back into this tie, and while they're not completely without hope, they have a massive hill to climb if they're going to cause an upset for a second round in a row.</p>
<p>Barcelona are sitting pretty, though, with the power of three away goals at their disposal. If they can keep the returned Zlatan Ibrahimovic at bay and score an early goal of their own, the job will be done. If there's anything that Luis Enrique's side has proved it can do this season, it's keeping the task at hand in view and not letting distractions set in. If they do that in this match, they'll be leaving this match with their heads held high.</p>
<h4>Team news</h4>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.barcablaugranes.com/">Barcelona</a> are in fairly good health, with Dani Alves returning from his suspension and only <span>Thomas Vermaelen</span> guaranteed to be out. A few other players are banged up to varying degrees, but everyone else is at least available to play, even if they're not at 100 percent.</p>
<p>The news is more mixed for Paris Saint-Germain. They're getting a big boost with the returns of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti from their suspensions, but Serge Aurier is still suspended and Thiago Motta is still injured. Their defensive woes are further compounded by the injury absence of Thiago Silva, who hurt his hamstring against Barca last week.</p>
<h4>Projected lineups (left to right)</h4>
<p><b>Barcelona (4-3-3)</b>: Marc-Andre ter Stegen; <span>Jordi Alba</span>, <span>Javier Mascherano</span>, Gerard Pique, <span>Dani Alves</span>; Andres Iniesta, <span>Sergio Busquets</span>, Ivan Rakitic; Neymar, Luis Suarez, <span>Lionel Messi</span></p>
<p><b>Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3)</b>: Salvatore Sirigu; Maxwell, David Luiz, Marquinhos, Gregory Van Der Wiel; Blaise Matuidi, Marco Verratti, Yohan Cabaye; Javier Pastore, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani</p>
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<h4>Key Matchups</h4>
<p><b>Sergio Busquets vs. Blaise Matuidi</b> -- One of the few areas of the pitch that PSG caused persistent issues for Barcelona was in central midfield, where Matuidi consistently got forward and either beat Busquets on his own, or waited for Busquets to mark another player and went through the space he left behind. He'll need to replicate that feat again today in order to give PSG as good a chance as possible to pull off the upset -- but Busquets won't want to lose to Matuidi twice in a row.</p>
<p><b>Andres Iniesta vs. Marco Verratti</b> -- The battle of playmakers will see two players at very different stages of their careers face-off. Iniesta seems to be entering the downswing of his career, losing pace and sharpness, while Verratti is one of the young midfielders in the game that many point at to be a star in the making. Verratti's deeper positioning means that they'll be going toe-to-toe quite frequently, and whoever gains the upper hand in this game will have a profound impact on the buildup play of both sides.</p>
<p><b>Gerard Pique vs. Zlatan Ibrahimovic</b> -- Pique seems to have slipped back into the error-prone form that has plagued him at times over the past few years, and he's got a tough task ahead of him in this match. He'll be squaring off with a well-rested Ibrahimovic, ready and eager to take advantage of any slip-ups that Pique makes. It doesn't take much to give a striker like Ibrahimovic what he needs to punish a back line and score, so Pique will have to stay focused and on-task in this match.</p>
<h4>Prediction</h4>
<p>Paris Saint-Germain are good and can give Barcelona problems, but they just didn't do enough in Paris to come back in this one, especially not at the Camp Nou. This one is going to end as a <b>2-1 Barcelona win</b>.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2015/4/21/8460235/barcelona-paris-saint-germain-2015-uefa-champions-league-previewConor Dowley