Barcelona encountered an unexpected training disruption just days before their Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, due to storms affecting the Catalan coast. Following their 5–2 victory over Real Betis, the team was scheduled to fly back to Barcelona on Saturday evening but faced delays that forced them to return to their hotel for an extra night in Seville.
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Mundo Deportivo reported that Barcelona contemplated traveling directly to Paris instead of returning home, but ultimately, they decided to fly back on Sunday afternoon. This alteration in plans led to coach Hansi Flick canceling a planned full training session for Sunday, opting instead for a light indoor recovery session. With Barcelona unable to train on the pitch, this represents a significant setback as they prepare to face a strong PSG team.
PSG already held an advantage heading into the match, playing at home at Parc des Princes and benefiting from their players being well-rested. Coach Luis Enrique rotated his squad during PSG's recent Ligue 1 match against Strasbourg, keeping several key players, including Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi, out of the starting lineup. This strategic management contrasted with Flick’s situation, where he had to keep his stars like Lamine Yamal and Fermín Lopez on the field during the full duration of the Real Betis match.
Barcelona's heavy travel burden, disrupted rest, and limited training time add to the challenges they face against the reigning Champions League holders. Despite their strong domestic performance over the past two years, Barcelona has yet to reach a Champions League final since 2015. They hope for redemption this season, particularly as they face a seemingly unstoppable PSG team, which has won all 11 of its matches this season across all competitions.
Barcelona aims to come out strong in Paris on Tuesday, knowing that a victory against PSG could boost their confidence significantly as they pursue a treble this season.