Barcelona and PSG have a long history together, from Ronaldinho to the famous Remontada. They have also shared many players together, and as the French club grows in size and popularity, the list of shared players will undoubtedly grow. In this article, I will be looking at three players who played for both Les Parisiens and the Azulgranes.
Ronaldinho
The greatest Brazilian in Barcelona’s history, Ronaldinho was key in taking Barca out of their early 2000’s slump. He made his move to Europe in 2001, and spent two years playing for the Parisian giants. He then moved to Barcelona in the summer of 2003, and the rest is history. At Barcelona, he won a Champions League, two La Liga’s, and two Spanish Super Cups. He enjoyed the most successful seasons of his career while playing for the Catalans, and his legacy at the club is indisputability massive.
Neymar
Neymar’s transfer from Barcelona to PSG changed football forever. At no point in football’s history had so much money been invested in a single footballer. PSG shelled out an astronomical 222 million euros to bring the Brazilian to the French capital, and its economic ramifications on Barcelona can still be seen today.
Neymar made the much anticipated jump to Europe in 2013, joining Barcelona for 80 million Euros. Despite early struggles, Neymar adapted well to life in Catalonia, and formed a third of the deadly MSN trio. During his time playing for Barca, Neymar won a UCL trophy, two La Liga’s, three Copa Del Rey’s, and a Spanish Super Cup. Many thought that he would be the replacement for Lionel Messi, and reports indicate that the club saw his as Messi’s successor too.
His move to PSG shocked the entire footballing world, and Barcelona have not recovered from its repercussions. After it became clear that Barcelona would not cave to the pressure from both PSG and Neymar, PSG took the drastic step of paying his release clause.
Neymar has been relatively unsuccessful since joining PSG. The huge amounts of money shelled out by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund to pay for the biggest names in football have been wasted to a certain extent. PSG were able to reach the final of the Champions League last season, but in order for their huge investment to pay off, they will have to go one further.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The Swede is one of footballs most iconic players, but his time at Barcelona was relatively disappointing. Zlatan failed to make a mark for the Catalans, and his time at the club ended quickly. Despite scoring 22 goals, he never seemed to fit into the setup under Pep Guardiola.
His time at PSG however, was much more memorable. Scoring 156 goals for the French club, he became the clubs leading all-time scorer, a record that is now held by Edison Cavani. He won four League 1 trophies during his time at PSG, along with two French Cups.
Conclusion
Tuesday’s clash will mean a lot to the fans. But for a set group of players, it will mean something special. Barcelona and PSG have had a long history together, one which is bound to grow. PSG continue to evolve into one of Europe’s top sides.
