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5 reasons Barcelona should be wary of PSG in the Champions League

By Harry De Cosemo

Paris Saint-Germain's Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani (L) is congratuled by Paris Saint-Germain's Polish midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League group A football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Basel at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on October 19, 2016. / AFP / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
Paris Saint-Germain's Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani (L) is congratuled by Paris Saint-Germain's Polish midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League group A football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Basel at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on October 19, 2016. / AFP / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Christopher Nkunku of PSG celebrates during the French League Cup match between Paris Saint Germain and Lille at Parc des Princes on December 14, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Nolwenn Le Gouic/Icon Sport) (Photo by Nolwenn Le Gouic/Icon Sport via Getty Images)
Christopher Nkunku of PSG celebrates during the French League Cup match between Paris Saint Germain and Lille at Parc des Princes on December 14, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Nolwenn Le Gouic/Icon Sport) (Photo by Nolwenn Le Gouic/Icon Sport via Getty Images) /

Since the new seeding system for the Champions League came into play last season, it has been harder for big clubs to avoid each other until the latter stages of the competition.

Before, how a team performed in Europe directly influenced their seed and subsequently the difficulty of their route to the final. Obviously this favoured the same teams each year, so it was changed to reward those who win their respective league titles as well as the Champions League itself.

Last season, both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain won LaLiga and Ligue 1, but the new system made it tougher for both of them in this year’s group phase as they faced Manchester City and Arsenal. While both English sides may well have provided the opposition anyway, they have caused problems this season.

Barcelona lost at the Etihad Stadium to City and Arsenal toppled PSG in their group at the last-minute. Generally, though, the round of 16 draw could have thrown up some very interesting ties, with both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid also missing out on top spots in the first stage this year.

The Blaugrana are once again among the favourites to win the Champions League this year, but PSG have never hidden their ambition for European success. This is a tie which Luis Enrique must take very seriously, as he will.

Here are just five of the reasons why.

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