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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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Paris Saint-Germain’s Spanish head coach Unai Emery reacts during the French League Cup football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on December 14, 2016. / AFP / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
Paris Saint-Germain’s Spanish head coach Unai Emery reacts during the French League Cup football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on December 14, 2016. / AFP / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images) /

1. Unai Emery’s European pedigree

The Spanish coach has been under a lot of pressure in the first half of his debut campaign in Paris. Over the last few years, since PSG’s rich Qatari owners truly got their feet under the table, Ligue 1 has been taken for granted somewhat. Winning it is the minimum requirement for Emery this season.

Sitting in third place, they are lagging behind Nice and Monaco in the title race. Most people would still back them to prevail, but the questions will not subside until they do.

Emery has stepped into a tough environment. Their financial clout, as already pointed out, means there is no room for error, but the coach had a summer to put his stamp on his new team. There was also the small matter of losing Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the end of last season. He may be 35 years of age, but scoring 38 times and generally leading the club on and off the pitch makes the Swede very tough to replace.

PSG sacked Laurent Blanc because of failure to progress in Europe. Last season’s quarter-final exit to Manchester City was a particularly low moment. At the time Blanc departed, possible replacements were few and far between, but Emery appeared to embody what the board were looking for.

During a stint with Sevilla, he won a record three consecutive Europa League titles. He understands the mechanics of winning a continental tie. Not only is he used to working under pressure, having done so at Valencia and his early days at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, but he has faced Barcelona on numerous occasions.

Unai Emery is certainly capable of springing a surprise come February when, as expected, PSG’s domestic form will have improved.

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