PSG fans chant ‘fu** Barcelona’ and ‘Real Madrid, Madrid’ ahead of crunch UCL clash, video emerges
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) fans are chanting "fu** Barcelona" and calling their rivals Real Madrid as they face the Catalan giants in the first-leg of the Champions League quarterfinal. The French giants are set to host their Spanish counterparts at the Parc des Princes in what could be one of the most defining matches of the season for both clubs.
While the Parisian giants may be more welcoming to their opponents on a club-to-club level, the PSG supporters have been loud in expressing their animosity towards Barca. They were reported to be chanting "Real Madrid! Madrid!" and "F*ck Barcelona!" while gathered outside Parc des Princes.
A video has also shown the fans in the stands making similar chants:
Barca head into this match after defeating Napoli 4-2 on aggregate in the round of 16. Their most recent victory came against Las Palmas back in March, and they have not lost a game since their loss to Villareal in January. They haven't played any competitive football in ten days, which could see them better rested than their hosts.
Despite a packed schedule with recent matches in both Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France, PSG are still a serious contender. The Parisians have Kylian Mbappe in their attack, and the forward could cause a lot of problems for Barca's defense.
Xavi discusses Barcelona's Champions League quarter-final against PSG
The UEFA Champions League quarterfinal is an opportunity for Barcelona, who have won the coveted competition five times, to rebound from recent failures since 2015. They have not won the continental competition since Luis Enrique was the manager, and now they will have to face him as an opponent.
Barca have won eight of their past eleven games in all competitions. In the last six games, they have only conceded one goal. However, they are eight points behind Real Madrid in the La Liga standings. Xavi Hernandez spoke ahead of the game, telling the press (via ESPN):
"It is a key moment. The word after being out of the quarter-finals for four years is excitement. We can dream again. We think we are at the best moment of the season, but we have one of the best teams in Europe in front of us, with one of the best coaches in Luis Enrique. It is a team built to win the Champions League."
Xavi will hope Barcelona can take on PSG against all odds, having beaten them 6-1 at Camp Nou in 2017.