Champions League: Barcelona eye SF berth against Kylian Mbappe's PSG; Dortmund face Simone's Atletico

The Champions League quarterfinal second legs are all ready for kickoff as Barcelona take on Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Camp Nou on Tuesday (April 16). The match in Barcelona will have a huge bearing on both team’s seasons with both in the hunt for European glory. Not since 2015 have Barcelona won the Champions League while PSG are still hunting for their first title. In the evening’s other game, Atletico Madrid will face Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park with the tie still in the balance.

⚫️🟡 OR 🔴⚪️?#UCL pic.twitter.com/NFgiQwZX6g — UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 16, 2024

Can Barcelona reach the first semis since 2019?

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Not since 2019 have Barcelona reached the semifinals of the Champions League having since seen a slump of form. The five-time champions will enter the second leg with a 3-2 advantage having seized the opportunity in Paris last week. Pedri was the centre of attraction during the match having helped scored one and assisted one during his return to the side. Kylian Mbappe and Co will have their work cut out as they will have to win the match to reach the last four.

PSG’s best performance in the competition came in 2020 when they reached the final before losing to Bayern Munich. With Mbappe likely to play in his final season with the club, he will look to depart on a high. PSG are all set to win the French Ligue and a Champions League crown will only help them win a double this season.

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In the other match of the evening, Borussia Dortmund will face Atletico Madrid at a jam-packaged Signal Iduna Park. The 80,000 fans in the German side’s home ground will be an added incentive despite them trailing 1-2 in the tie. Dortmund have won the competition once in their history in 1997 and have not reached the final since the 2013 season. Ateltico Madrid on the other hand have been runners-up on three occasions – 1974, 2014 and 2016.

For Diego Simone, the Champions League title remains the only piece missing from the puzzle, having won all the competitions with the Spanish side during his 14-year spell at the club.