The fixture
Paris Saint-Germain host Barcelona at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, 20 October, in matchweek three of the Champions League league phase. The match is one of nine fixtures on the day, with Manchester City, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid also in action. Coverage places the game against a backdrop of severe unrest in Paris, though the articles do not say when that unrest began.
Ferran Torres faces his old club
The forward left Barcelona for PSG last summer for about 50 million euros, according to EL PAÍS, after four and a half seasons at the Camp Nou. He had scored 67 goals in 207 matches for Barcelona, El País reports. ABC says he was named Ligue 1 player of the month for September and has regained the nickname 'El Tiburón' in France. The shirt numbered 9 is among the three best-selling shirts at PSG, El País reports.
A reunion with Luis Enrique
Luis Enrique, PSG's coach, is the figure most credited with bringing Torres to Paris. ABC says Luis Enrique, who first brought him to prominence with the Spanish national team, was the main advocate of the move. Torres has called him his 'football father', according to ABC. At Barcelona, the club had preferred to delay any new contract offer until after the transfer window, El País reports.
Barcelona's form
Barcelona have scored 48 goals in 11 matches this season, El País reports. With Torres gone, coach Hansi Flick has been using Raphinha as a number nine. Lamine Yamal has been involved in nine consecutive matches with a goal or an assist, El Mundo reports, and has taken part in five straight matches in which he scored.
- Goals, current season to date
- 9
- Assists, current season to date
- 10
- Goals, 2024-25 at the same stage
- 5
- Assists, 2024-25 at the same stage
- 5
Data from the article text
Two tests this week
Le Soir reports that Barcelona beat Feyenoord 5-1 and Galatasaray 1-4 in the Champions League and could become the first side to open a league campaign with ten wins. That chance comes on Sunday, 25 October, when Barcelona face Real Madrid in the Clasico. Le Soir describes the trip to Paris as a much tougher test than the earlier results.