Barcelona feud with Paris Saint-Germain goes back 12 years – report

The rivalry between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain has been ongoing for some time, and largely in the general consciousness goes back to the 6-1 comeback made by the Blaugrana in the Champions League against the Parisians, and followed by the Neymar Junior move. However tensions between the two clubs go back a further five years.

The Brazilian’s move to PSG is perhaps the most significant turning point of the rivalry, which has since seen Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele depart for the French capital. However The Athletic say that their frustrations go back much further.

When Barcelona tried to sign Thiago Silva from Milan in 2012, they were slowly working towards a deal, before PSG came in and gazumped their offer. A year later, with Barcelona still on the hunt for a central defender, the same thing happened with Marquinhos.

🚨 Yesterday's Champions League matches were played with an immense intensity, serving as a reminder to Barcelona that they cannot afford to fall asleep for any moment. @Jordigil pic.twitter.com/hhuXMockdl

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 10, 2024

Their clashes played out on the pitch for the following four years, but then Barcelona identified Marco Verratti as their ideal midfield recruit in the summer of 2017. They were not best pleased with the manner in which PSG blocked the deal for the Italian, who had agreed to push for a move from Paris. Months later, Neymar Junior’s €222m release clause was activated.

More recently, PSG CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Barcelona President Joan Laporta have shown signs of civility, following years of public disagreements over The Superleague project.

As things stand, PSG are favourites to continue having their way with Barcelona, having beaten them 5-1 on aggregate last time they met in the Champions League, and poached Dembele from them last summer. The Blaugrana will not only want to stand tall in the Champions League, but also shut the door firmly on a move for Lamine Yamal.