Champions League Matchday 2: Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain facts

UEFA Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain face a stern early test as they visit 2024/25 semi-finalists Barcelona on Matchday 2.

Last match

Barcelona have won six of the sides' 15 previous contests, Paris recording five victories with four draws.

The teams last met in the 2023/24 quarter-finals, Barcelona winning 3-2 in Paris only for the French side to triumph 4-1 in Spain – their second successive victory at Barça by that scoreline.

Their only previous encounters in a group/league were in the 2014/15 Champions League when a 3-2 home win for Paris on Matchday 2 was followed by a 3-1 success at home for Barcelona on Matchday 6.

Barcelona have won all their previous five home group stage/league phase matches against French teams, most recently 3-0 against Brest on Matchday 5 last season. Overall, that made it two wins in six games against Ligue 1 opponents (D1 L3).

Paris have won four of their last six games against Liga clubs (L2). They have three wins from their last four visits to Spain (L1).

Barcelona

This is Barcelona's 30th campaign in the Champions League proper, a competition record they share with Real Madrid. They have featured every season since 2003/04.

Second in last season's league phase (W6 D1 L1), Hansi Flick's side went on to beat Benfica (4-1 aggregate) and Borussia Dortmund (5-3) before losing to Inter (3-3 h, 3-4 a aet) – equalling the record for most goals in a Champions League semi-final tie.

Paris 

This is Paris's 18th campaign in the Champions League proper. They have featured every season since 2012/13, reaching the knockout stages in all 13 of those most recent campaigns.

Fifteenth in last season's league phase (W4 D1 L3), Luis Enrique's side beat Brest (10-0 aggregate), Liverpool (1-1, 4-1 pens), Aston Villa (5-4) and Arsenal (3-1) to reach the showpiece in Munich, where their 5-0 win against Inter was the biggest final victory in European Cup history.

Key stats

Ousmane Dembélé scored 40 goals in 185 Barcelona appearances between 2017 and signing for Paris in 2023.

Barcelona's 2-1 win at Newcastle United on Matchday 1 made it eight league phase games unbeaten (W7 D1).

Barça have lost only one of their last 12 home group stage/league phase fixtures (W8 D3).

Barcelona have scored three or more goals in six of their last seven home Champions League contests. Their last 17 home games in the competition have featured 75 goals at an average of 4.41 per game.

A 4-0 victory at home to Atalanta on Matchday 1 made it 11 wins in Paris' last 13 Champions League matches (L2).

Enrique's side have kept six clean sheets in their last ten Champions League games.

Paris have won their last four league phase fixtures, scoring four goals in each of the most recent three.