Barcelona head into this week’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain with renewed optimism as injury concerns mount at the French club.
The Catalans have been in impressive form in La Liga, climbing to the top of the table and showcasing a blend of experience and youthful flair under Hansi Flick.
Key players like Pedri and Frenkie de Jong are in strong form, providing Hansi Flick’s side with stability in midfield ahead of a high-stakes European encounter.
Meanwhile, the club continues to monitor its own fitness situation, ensuring that its squad is fresh and ready for the intensity of a UCL group-stage battle.
The upcoming fixture represents one of the toughest tests of the season for Barcelona, and any potential weakness in the PSG squad could prove decisive.
With both sides having rotated heavily in recent matches, managing player fitness has become a critical factor.
Fans and pundits alike are keeping a close eye on injury updates from Paris ahead of this week’s showdown, knowing that the outcome could set the tone for the remainder of the group stage.
Paris Saint-Germain, however, face a mounting injury crisis that could play into Barcelona’s hands.
Vitinha and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were forced off during PSG’s 2-0 win over AJ Auxerre, both suffering injuries in the first half.
Vitinha came off midway through the first half, with the exact nature of his injury still unclear, while Kvaratskhelia exited at halftime with what appeared to be a hamstring problem.
This latest setback adds to an already depleted PSG squad, which is also without Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Joao Neves, Fabián Ruiz, and Marquinhos due to injuries.
The club’s current fitness woes are being linked to a grueling campaign last season, which left them with only a single week for pre-season preparation.
According to Le Parisien, there is some optimism that Vitinha could be fit in time for the midweek clash, but concern grows over Kvaratskhelia, who now looks more likely to miss the crucial Champions League encounter.
Barcelona will be hoping to exploit these absences and maintain their momentum in Europe, aiming to leave Paris with a strong result that could significantly boost their chances of progressing from the group stage.
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