This Wednesday at 9 pm (CET), Paris Saint-Germain (2nd) will face FC Barcelona (12th) at the Montjuïc Stadium in the second matchday of the 2025-2026 Champions League. At a press conference, Pedri, the 22-year-old Barcelona midfielder, spoke about this highly anticipated match, against a great opponent and with his former coach Luis Enrique, whom he holds in high regard.
Pedri: “It will be a spectacle that everyone will enjoy.”
“PSG is a team that showed what they are capable of last year; they are one of the best teams in the world. It will be a spectacle that everyone will enjoy.”
On missing the final last year:
“All of us, Barça fans, regret being so close to qualifying. Football always offers second chances; everyone wants to play in these matches.”
On PSG’s attacking style:
“I prefer playing against teams that come at you directly, because they leave more spaces. When they sit back, it’s difficult to create opportunities, but I don’t think that will be the case tomorrow.”
Pedri: “Luis Enrique is a courageous coach.”
On coach Luis Enrique (whom he knew at Barça):
“I like watching football, and when I can, I do it with my family. Luis Enrique is a courageous coach; it shows in the type of players he uses. They always try to have possession of the ball, which is why they don’t need to rely as much on defending.”
A major European clash?
“Both teams are favorites and we want to win the Champions League. We have the squad to achieve that, and it will be one of the best matches of the season,” he said, as reported by RMC Sport.
The message is clear: Pedri expects a great football match. Logically, two of the best teams in the world are going to face each other. There will undoubtedly be some key players missing from both sides, but above all, two teams with tremendous talent will be facing each other. Both teams generally play an attacking style of football, which is what everyone loves to see. We can expect an entertaining match with plenty of goals. However, neither team will be taking any unnecessary risks.
Football isn’t just about attacking; strong defending is also crucial. But, barring any surprises, we shouldn’t see either team adopting a purely defensive, counter-attacking approach. This should lead to an exciting, high-tempo match, even though it’s “just” a group stage game.
Each team will want to immediately solidify their position as one of the title contenders this season. And, of course, the most important thing is to secure the three points to advance in the competition.
