Buoyant after their strong domestic performance last week, Paris St-Germain will look to overcome the absence of key players, including striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, in tomorrow's Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Barcelona.
PSG beat Ligue 1 arch-rivals Olympique Marseille 3-2, thrashed St Etienne 4-1 in the French Cup semifinals and won the League Cup final 4-0 against Bastia on Saturday.
Even if they will be without the suspended Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti and the injured David Luiz, PSG believe they are peaking.
"Do I feel a new momentum? It's been the case for a while. We worked physically [during the winter break] and today, in money time, we're good," said coach Laurent Blanc. "We are gaining momentum while last year at the same time we were on the way down."
Both teams have been meeting regularly recently in the Champions League, with PSG beating Barca 3-2 at home in a Group F game this season before losing 3-1 at the Nou Camp. Barca reached the semifinals in 2013 by eliminating PSG on away goals.
"The quarterfinal tie is going to be very different from the group stage. There is a lot more at stake and in football no game is ever the same," former Barca and PSG winger Ludovic Giuly said.
Barca's 2-2 draw at Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday, when they threw away a 2-0 lead, prompted renewed concerns about their defensive frailty, with both the conceded goals down to mistakes from the Barca rearguard.
Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo made an uncharacteristic handling error to let in Ever Banega's long-range strike before half time and centre back Gerard Pique's loss of possession in midfield led to the Andalusian club's late equaliser.
But Pique is unfazed as Barca will once again bank on their formidable attacking trio.
"I've never before seen a relationship like the one between Luis [Suarez], Ney [Neymar] and Leo [Messi]. We're talking about three of the best players in the world," he said.
Barca's Brazil right back Dani Alves is suspended for tomorrow's game.
The second leg will be played at the Nou Camp on April 21.
PSG on high ahead of Barca trip
Buoyant after their strong domestic performance last week, Paris St-Germain will look to overcome the absence of key players, including striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, in tomorrow's Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Barcelona.
PSG beat Ligue 1 arch-rivals Olympique Marseille 3-2, thrashed St Etienne 4-1 in the French Cup semifinals and won the League Cup final 4-0 against Bastia on Saturday.
Even if they will be without the suspended Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti and the injured David Luiz, PSG believe they are peaking.
"Do I feel a new momentum? It's been the case for a while. We worked physically [during the winter break] and today, in money time, we're good," said coach Laurent Blanc. "We are gaining momentum while last year at the same time we were on the way down."
Both teams have been meeting regularly recently in the Champions League, with PSG beating Barca 3-2 at home in a Group F game this season before losing 3-1 at the Nou Camp. Barca reached the semifinals in 2013 by eliminating PSG on away goals.
"The quarterfinal tie is going to be very different from the group stage. There is a lot more at stake and in football no game is ever the same," former Barca and PSG winger Ludovic Giuly said.
Barca's 2-2 draw at Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday, when they threw away a 2-0 lead, prompted renewed concerns about their defensive frailty, with both the conceded goals down to mistakes from the Barca rearguard.
Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo made an uncharacteristic handling error to let in Ever Banega's long-range strike before half time and centre back Gerard Pique's loss of possession in midfield led to the Andalusian club's late equaliser.
But Pique is unfazed as Barca will once again bank on their formidable attacking trio.
"I've never before seen a relationship like the one between Luis [Suarez], Ney [Neymar] and Leo [Messi]. We're talking about three of the best players in the world," he said.
Barca's Brazil right back Dani Alves is suspended for tomorrow's game.
The second leg will be played at the Nou Camp on April 21.