Top 5 epic past encounters between PSG and Barcelona

Wednesday's game promises to be a thrilling one for a number of reasons. First, it represents arguably the two best teams in Europe going toe to toe for the first time since Hansi Flick's appointment at Barca and their subsequent improvement. It also sees Lamine Yamal, the best young player in the world, come up against the side whose star man pipped him to the Ballon d'Or Crown not long ago.

The Champions of Europe will thus line up against a team who are perhaps favorites to replace them as winners of the premier club competition in the world. The tension around this fixture is heightened as it represents the latest in a long series of clashes between the two sides, who have been drawn against each other a number of times over the last fifteen or so years.

Another remarkable aspect of the fixture is the sheer number of legends who have played for both sides. Whether it's Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr, Ronaldinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Dani Alves, or even recent Ballon D'or winner Ousmane Dembele, there have been many legendary players who have donned both club's kits.

Let's have a look back at some of the best games between the two teams: the goals, the drama and perhaps the single most iconic Champions League moment of all time.

Top 5 best Champions League clash between PSG and Barcelona

5) Barcelona 3-3 PSG (1-1, 2-2, Barcelona win on away goals), 2012-13

The first game on the list represents the first meeting of the sides in almost twenty years, as well as PSG's debut season in the Champions League after the Qatari takeover of the club in 2011. The two sides were drawn against each other in the Quarter Finals. PSG, who were on their way to their first Ligue 1 title in the Qatari era were coming up against a Barcelona side led by Tito Vilanova, who came as Pep Guardiola's replacement. PSG went into the tie as underdogs, having only narrowly beaten Valencia in the previous round.

The first leg of the tie was played in front of a raucous Parc Des Princes, who were witnessing their young side take on absolute European giants. Lionel Messi silenced the crowd in the first half, volleying in from a delightful outside of the foot cross from Dani Alves. However, the Parisians didn't stay phased for long, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic poked in a scrappy equalizer after Thiago Silva's header had come back off the post. Yet, Barcelona soon regained the lead, as Alexis Sanchez won a penalty that was calmly slotted home by Xavi, but PSG lit up their stadium with the last goal of the night, as Blaise Matuidi mishit a volley from the edge of the box that somehow squirmed underneath Victor Valdés.

This was a strong result for the Parisians, who went into the Second leg at the Camp Nou behind on away goals, but still in the tie. Indeed, a strong second leg performance from a PSG side that featured big names such as David Beckham saw them take the lead in Spain, as Javier Pastore clipped the ball over Valdés to conclude a rapid counterattack.

Messi, who had suffered an injury in the first leg, was sent to warm up as panic started to spread throughout the Catalan audience. PSG's defence held firm against a barrage of attack from the frantic Barcelona front line, but it was eventually futile, as Messi prodded a ball through the eye of a needle to split the defense in two, and Pedro smashed in an equaliser that sent the home side through on away goals. A win for Barcelona, but far from a serene one, as PSG tested their mettle against Europe's elite, and managed to leave some scars on them along the way.

4) PSG 6-4 Barcelona (2-3, 4-1), 2023-24

The most recent clash between the two sides came in 2024, as they were once again drawn against each other in the Champions League Quarter finals. It was Luis Enrique's first season as coach in Paris, and as his side had comfortably qualified for the quarter finals, he was hoping to finally bring home a much awaited piece of European silverware back to the capital, spearheaded by star attacker Kylian Mbappe, for whom these were the last weeks under Parisian colors before an imminent summer move to Real Madrid.

As for Barcelona, it represented a return to European form after a few woeful years of indifference on the European stage for Xavi's men, and they hoped to assert their authority on the tournament with a big win against PSG, aided by their newly formed attacking trio of 16-year-old starlet Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski.

The first leg was played in Paris and was dominated by the in-form away side. Lamine Yamal's cunning cross was mishandled by Gianluigi Donnarumma and turned in by Raphinha at the back post for the opener. A brilliant individual goal from Ousmane Dembélé against his former side leveled things up, and Vitinha poked home a few minutes later to turn the game around, but Barcelona still prevailed, with another from Raphinha and then a close range header from Andreas Christensen meaning that they started the second leg with a slim advantage.

The second leg in Spain started much as the first had, with a piece of brilliance from Yamal to set up Raphinha, who once again opened the scoring, his third goal across both matches. However, the whole tie was turned on its head when Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo was given a red card for a pull on Bradley Barcola. Barcelona, with their backs against the wall, soon caved in, with Ousmane Dembélé firing home a brilliant volley before half time to half Barca's lead.

After the break, the Parisians were in the ascendancy. Vitinha scored from long range, before a neat bit of skill from Dembélé won his side a penalty, which was duly converted by Kylian Mbappé, who added a second on the break late on. This added some gloss onto the scoreline, and saw PSG progress into the Champions League semi finals for the third time in five years.

3) Barcelona 5-1 PSG (3-1, 2-0), 2014-15

Yet another Quarter final tie between the two sides occured in 2015, as current PSG manager Luis Enrique was then in charge of Barcelona. PSG were underdogs in this clash, as Barcelona's electric MSN front three consisting of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez was in its pomp, and had been terrorizing every side that came up against the Catalans for months. PSG had beaten Chelsea in a dramatic encounter in the previous round, with Thiago Silva's late, looping, header, silencing the Stamford Bridge crowd.

The first leg was controlled by Barcelona, who went to the Parc des Princes and stamped their authority on proceedings. Messi brilliantly set up Neymar for the opening goal, as the interlink between the two players was simply too much for the PSG defense to handle. Luis Suarez scored two superb goals in the second half, the first slaloming in from the right hand side, nutmegging David Luiz and outmuscling Adrien Rabiot, before poking past Salvatore Sirigu in goal.

The second came soon after, a wonderful strike, curled into the top corner after yet another nutmeg on the hapless David Luiz. A late own goal from Jérémy Mathieu made little difference to the overall feeling: this was a side in cruise control, whom the Parisians simply were not good enough to keep up with.

The Second Leg was much of the same, with Neymar Jr. scoring two first half goals, the first of which came after a sensational solo assist from the wonderful Andres Iniesta. Not the most balanced of ties, but a festival of great football on display that's worth mentioning here.

2) PSG 5-2 Barcelona (4-1, 1-1), 2020-21

A lockdown fixture played in front of empty crowds, but nevertheless another thrilling encounter between the two rivals. This time an ageing but still brilliant Lionel Messi, in the midst of his last Barcelona hurrah and of a fine individual season, was up against Kylian Mbappé, his apparent successor as the best player in the world, and a man in devastating form. This last sixteen clash was also notable as it could have represented Neymar's first appearance against his old side after his record 200 million transfer to PSG in 2017, but the Brazilian was out injured, as it was unfortunately the case for much of his time in France.

The first leg was played at the Camp Nou, and was absolutely dominated by an electric performance from Kylian Mbappé. Lionel Messi opened the scoring with a penalty, before the Frenchman fired home an equaliser. In the second half, PSG streaked away and showed their counterattacking prowess time and time again against an ageing Barcelona midfield and defense, with Mbappé, Draxler and Moise Kean combining for PSG's second and third goals scored by Mbappé and Kean respectively. The icing on the cake was the fourth, a brilliant strike from Mbappé that nestled into the top corner and sealed his status as the best player in the world.

Barcelona fought valiantly to try and get back into the tie in the Second Leg, and were helped by a glorious 30 yard rocket from Messi, but a series of missed chances meant that Kylian Mbappé's penalty was enough to secure a draw, and see PSG comfortably into the Quarter Finals. It was Lionel Messi's last ever Champions League game for Barcelona, and a few months later he would be off to the French capital to sign for PSG as part of a shock summer transfer.

1) Barcelona 6-5 PSG (0-4, 6-1), 2016-17

Was there really any doubt? Arguably the most iconic Champions League (if not football) match of all time occurred in the last 16 of the Champions League between PSG and Barcelona in 2017. Most will know the story, but let's recap it anyway: PSG, against all odds, stunned Enrique's Barcelona in the first leg - a brilliant team performance from Unai Emery's side saw them gain a huge 4-0 lead. Angel Di Maria scored a stunning free kick, Julian Draxler made it 2-0 with a low strike, Di Maria - the standout player - curled home a stunning third and Edinson Cavani fired home a fourth. It was the crowning night of PSG's history, possibly the best performance ever by a French side in the Champions League, the biggest upset of the season so far, and an utter humiliation for Barcelona and their MSN front line, who had been utterly neutralized all night by PSG's dogged defense.

The second leg was truly considered a formality, as no side had ever come back from such a deficit before. Luis Enrique, however, was confident in the remontada, and stated in a pre-game press conference that he believed in his side's ability to turn the game over. PSG, who had been hoping to cruise through the second leg, got the game off to the worst possible start, as Suarez nodded in from close range after a mix up at the back. A piece of magic from Iniesta forced Layvin Kurzawa into an own goal, which sent PSG into the break 2-0 down, as Barcelona were already halfway back into the tie.

The second half kicked off even worse for the Parisians, who conceded another when Neymar's trickery forced a penalty, which was smashed in by Messi. Just when a comeback looked truly on the cards, Edinson Cavani somehow found space in the Catalan box and volleyed in a brilliant finish that looked absolutely certain to signify the end of the tie and PSG's qualification. Relief and elation for Emery's men, as Barcelona's attackers became increasingly frustrated, with Suarez booked for diving.

Angel Di Maria and Cavani both wasted chances on the breakaway, but as the clock ticked down, it seemed as though the tie was all but over and that the remaining minutes were nothing but formalities, as the Catalans still needed three goals, and didn't seem particularly likely to score even one.

Neymar won a free kick for Barcelona in the 87th minute, and stood over it himself, displacing Messi as the usual set piece taker. It curled perfectly into the corner of Parisian net. Suddenly the mental fortitude of the Parisians seemed to evaporate, as Barcelona, needing now only two goals in about five minutes, played with renewned energy.

Messi dangled a ball over the top for Suarez to chase, and Marquinhos clumsily brought him down. Penalty. Neymar. 5-5. Barcelona still going out on away goals, but now needing only one to complete the most absurd comeback in football history. Up went the Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen, as the Catalans pushed everyone forwards.

Neymar danced around the box, dummying a cross on his right foot, before whipping in a cross with his weaker left. It landed on the foot of the most unlikely scorer, diminuative Sergi Roberto, who dinked home a historic goal and sent the stadium into delirium.

One of the most absurd and fantastic matches of football ever, and certainly the genesis for Neymar's move to PSG that summer, as despite his being the man of the match and hero behind the comeback, it was Messi who received the most praise from the Catalan supporters. PSG, who had seen first hand how devastating the Brazilian could be, decided to try their luck at bringing him to Paris.

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