Luis Enrique era sees first big test in Paris
Barcelona, PSG are yet to be beaten in all competitions this season
PARIS, FRANCE:
Barcelona face their first big test of the Luis Enrique era when they face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the French capital in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The Catalans looked sluggish in the 1-0 win against Apoel Nic that kicked off their Group F campaign a fortnight ago, but they travel to France having won six and drawn one of the seven matches played this season, and are yet to concede a single goal under their new coach.
Their performance in tearing apart Granada in La Liga on Saturday, when Neymar scored a hat-trick and Lionel Messi netted twice in a 6-0 victory, would have made for ominous viewing for anyone with PSG connections.
"At the moment, I don't see any player who isn't capable of putting in a good performance in Paris and that for me is an advantage," said Enrique, who welcomes Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba back into his squad for the match at the Parc des Princes after both were rested against Granada.
The duo are both almost certain to start in a meeting of the two favourites to progress to the last 16 from the section, while there is no question of Messi, who is the only player to have started all seven games for Barca this season, being rested yet.
"I prefer to see him on the pitch until the last minute to press and participate in our collective play," added the coach.
"The temptation is there, it could happen at any point in the season, but his habitat is on the field."
PSG, like their opponents, are still unbeaten in the current campaign but all the pressure on Tuesday will be on Blanc, whose side are yet to convince this season and will still be expected to take the game to Barca in front of their own fans.
"We are aware that last season we dominated the league and this year, with the same team and the same coach, we are not winning matches so easily," admitted Blanc, who played down talk that his side might now be fearing the prospect of facing Barcelona.
"Do we need to be worried because we didn't win? If we had won, we would maybe be more confident. Barcelona are a great team. Everyone knows that.
"Barcelona is a different competition, and even if we are having difficulty and certain things worry me, the spirit is good. The players are putting in a lot of effort, perhaps more than last season when they were winning matches 3-0 or 4-0."
City on alert for visit of rampant Roma
After late disappointment against Bayern Munich in their opening Champions League group game, Manchester City can ill afford another slip-up in Tuesday's meeting with in-form Roma at the Etihad Stadium.
A 90th-minute goal by City old boy Jerome Boateng gave Bayern victory two weeks ago and with Roma opening their Group E campaign by crushing CSKA Moscow 5-1, the English champions are already under a degree of pressure.
Bayern look to quietly go about their business
Five-time European champions Bayern travel to Russia on Tuesday where they will take on domestic giants CSKA behind closed doors on match-day two in Group E.
Last season CSKA and Bayern met for the first time in Champions League group action with the Germans winning 3-0 at their Allianz Arena and 3-1 in the return leg.
Barcelona face their first big test of the Luis Enrique era when they face Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the French capital in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The Catalans looked sluggish in the 1-0 win against Apoel Nic that kicked off their Group F campaign a fortnight ago, but they travel to France having won six and drawn one of the seven matches played this season, and are yet to concede a single goal under their new coach.
Their performance in tearing apart Granada in La Liga on Saturday, when Neymar scored a hat-trick and Lionel Messi netted twice in a 6-0 victory, would have made for ominous viewing for anyone with PSG connections.
"At the moment, I don't see any player who isn't capable of putting in a good performance in Paris and that for me is an advantage," said Enrique, who welcomes Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba back into his squad for the match at the Parc des Princes after both were rested against Granada.
The duo are both almost certain to start in a meeting of the two favourites to progress to the last 16 from the section, while there is no question of Messi, who is the only player to have started all seven games for Barca this season, being rested yet.
"I prefer to see him on the pitch until the last minute to press and participate in our collective play," added the coach.
"The temptation is there, it could happen at any point in the season, but his habitat is on the field."
PSG, like their opponents, are still unbeaten in the current campaign but all the pressure on Tuesday will be on Blanc, whose side are yet to convince this season and will still be expected to take the game to Barca in front of their own fans.
"We are aware that last season we dominated the league and this year, with the same team and the same coach, we are not winning matches so easily," admitted Blanc, who played down talk that his side might now be fearing the prospect of facing Barcelona.
"Do we need to be worried because we didn't win? If we had won, we would maybe be more confident. Barcelona are a great team. Everyone knows that.
"Barcelona is a different competition, and even if we are having difficulty and certain things worry me, the spirit is good. The players are putting in a lot of effort, perhaps more than last season when they were winning matches 3-0 or 4-0."
City on alert for visit of rampant Roma
After late disappointment against Bayern Munich in their opening Champions League group game, Manchester City can ill afford another slip-up in Tuesday's meeting with in-form Roma at the Etihad Stadium.
A 90th-minute goal by City old boy Jerome Boateng gave Bayern victory two weeks ago and with Roma opening their Group E campaign by crushing CSKA Moscow 5-1, the English champions are already under a degree of pressure.
Bayern look to quietly go about their business
Five-time European champions Bayern travel to Russia on Tuesday where they will take on domestic giants CSKA behind closed doors on match-day two in Group E.
Last season CSKA and Bayern met for the first time in Champions League group action with the Germans winning 3-0 at their Allianz Arena and 3-1 in the return leg.