During Pedri’s press conference, Barça coach Xavi expressed his concern over the suspensions of Sergi Roberto and Andreas Christensen. The Catalan coach fears negative repercussions during the match against Paris Saint-Germain, this Tuesday (kick-off at 9 p.m., live on RMC Sport 1), in the quarter-final second leg of the Champions League.
Paris lost the first leg (2-3) at the Parc des Princes, but Barça lost two important players after the first leg: its captain, Sergi Roberto, and the Dane Andreas Christensen, scorer of the winning goal . The latter was guilty of an anti-playing foul for which he received a costly warning in the second half, knowing that he was under threat of suspension before the match, like Sergi Roberto, sanctioned in the first period for the same reason.
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“Behave as a team”
The two players, beyond their usefulness on the pitch, will be terribly missed by Barça, which lacks bench depth, during the return match this Tuesday (9 p.m.). Xavi will certainly have no trouble putting together a competitive eleven to start at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium, but he could on the other hand lack solutions during the match if he were to face a glitch in this sector of play or make a tactical fit.
“The losses of Christensen and Sergi will be noticed, it’s damaging for us, lamented the Catalan coach at a press conference. Because there are moments in the match when we need one thing or another. The suspensions hurt us. The key for tomorrow will be to behave as a team. We must give the best of ourselves and show solidarity to reach the semi-finals. We will have the means to reach the semi-finals.”
A “very difficult” match for the midfielders?
Xavi is counting on the experience of his midfielder Ilkay Gündogan and the creative genius of Pedri, who should be associated in midfield with Frenkie De Jong, knowing that the second had started the first leg on the bench before signing a starter decisive with this luminous offering for Raphinha behind the Parisian defense.
“I like them both close to the box. I imagine them with the ball at their feet, creating danger or making the last pass, Xavi projected. That’s their great quality, they are very similar players. They can delay or give speed to our game. It will be a difficult match for the midfielders. We will face one of the most intense teams if Gündogan and Pedri have space. and time we will have much to play for.”