In just under a fortnight, one of the most anticipated Champions League Round of 16 first-leg ties takes place.
The stories will write themselves as Paris Saint-Germain play Barcelona looking to put one final nail in the coffin for Lionel Messi at the Catalan club.
Former blaugrana, Neymar, is apparently close to extending his deal in Paris, and has made no secret of his desire to play with his former colleague once more, before the Argentinian hangs up his boots for good.
With Messi’s contract at Barca coming to an end this season, as long as the Parisien’s make a decent enough offer in terms of salary, there’s nothing to keep Messi at the Camp Nou beyond this campaign.
However, he has repeatedly said that he would make no decision until the end of the season, and not before he’s had a chance to speak with the new Barcelona president, who will be elected on March 7.
To that end, Angel di Maria’s latest gambit won’t have gone down well, and indeed, Ronald Koeman and the club appear to be raging.
“There’s a big chance he comes to PSG,” Di Maria said to Canal+, cited by MARCA.
Although it will be a tough ask, if Barca can beat the Ligue Un side, that really puts the cat amongst the pigeons as far as Messi is concerned.
How could he possibly leave for a club full of stars if they were unable to dispatch a team still in transition? That will be PSG’s biggest worry, particularly as Koeman’s side have really stated coming into their own now.