This trip to Montjuïc felt the trap for PSG. Decimated by injuries, deprived of his captain Marquinhos, the reigning European champion was to face a Barça without Raphinha, Gavi, Fermin Lope and Joan Garcia, but with his young nuggets Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, and also his Frenkie de Jong, Pedri or Marcus Rashford executives. After twenty minutes of Catalan domination, marked by the opening of the score of Ferran Torres (1-0, 19th), we imagined Paris fold. But the men of Luis Enrique hugged their teeth and found the resources to reverse the course of the match thanks to Senny Mayulu (1-1, 38th) then to Ramos in additional time (1-2, 90th). If victory has a collective flavor, it owes a lot to the performance of the two central defenders Ilia Zabarnyi and Willian Pacho, aligned for the first time together on such a European meeting.
“”Whatever the players who wear the PSG jersey, we play with this identity. Facing Barcelona, it's always difficult, almost impossible but we have overcome the pressure of the opponent. We made a second half of very very high level. It is important in terms of confidence“Said Luis Enrique at a press conference. Words that obviously echo the impressive defensive solidity displayed by the Ukrainian-Equatorian duo. Faced with the constant danger of a Barça who had decided to target their corridors and their youth, the two defenders responded with maturity. Zabarnyi, the most requested, made a full match: 4 successful tackles, 2 blocked shots, 2 clearances, and especially a rescue on his line in the 14th minute against Ferran Torres. Solid in duels, the former Roc de Bournemouth impressed by his concentration and serenity, conceding no fault and displaying surgical precision in his recovery (96 % of successful passes).
A day with a busy turbin
The permanent danger of Yamal or Olmo never got the better of the 23 -year -old Ukrainian, who symbolized this Paris resistance, making the Catalans doubt before seeing them bend, knees on the ground before their supporters. By his side, Willian Pacho perfectly completed the device. Less spectacular but just as precious, the Ecuadorian has signed a remarkable cleanliness match: 3 clearances, 2 interceptions and no dangerous ball loss. If he has lost few duels (only 1 conceded on the ground), the former Frankfurt player compensated by an excellent placement and a reading of the game which stifled Marcus Rashford, almost invisible over time. With a pass quality comparable to his partner (96 % precision), Pacho even offered himself a key pass, proof of his ability to break lines in a match where Paris was able to exploit each crumb in transition. His composure was one of the central elements to contain a Barça whose offensive impulse has gradually died.
“”I must say that we made a very good match. It was difficult at first because they had the ball and as always Barcelona has a lot of quality players. The first 20 minutes were difficult. We scored, won more confidence and we arrived with this draw at halftime“Continued the Spanish coach at a press conference. Beyond the figures, this Zabarnyi-Pacho duo gave a strong sign: PSG can consider the future without trembling. Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo and Marcus Rashford, who embodied the main threats of the Blaugrana, disappeared after twenty promising initial minutes. Protected by its young control towers, the Parisian defense allowed the collective to survive, then to strike at the right time. In a hostile context and faced with a prestigious opposition, Zabarnyi and Pacho have validated their first XXL test with brilliance, confirming that they can be much more than rescue leaders in the absence of Marquinhos. Tonight, they wrote the first chapter of what looks like a hinge of the future for PSG.
