Graham HunterSep 30, 2025, 05:57 AM ETCloseGraham Hunter is a Barcelona-based freelance writer for ESPN.com who specializes in La Liga and the Spanish national team.Follow on X
play1:07Robson: Dembélé fully deserved to win the Ballon d’ORStewart Robson praises Ousmane Dembélés character as he wins the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Garcia hails Yamal’s ‘fantastic’ impact on return from injury (1:58)Luis Garcia loves what he saw from Lamine Yamal, as the young star set up Barcleona’s winning goal on his return from injury. (1:58)
Robson: Dembélé fully deserved to win the Ballon d’ORStewart Robson praises Ousmane Dembélés character as he wins the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
Barcelona hosting Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League has a big chance of being the best, most dramatic, thrilling match anywhere in the world this week.
Last time they met, 17 months ago, the Catalans won brilliantly in the French capital and the Parisians replied with a punishing victory in Barcelona. That tit-for-tat battle treated us to 10 goals while former Barça coach Luis Enrique inspired his new team through to the Champions League semifinals in his debut season.
But this is a meeting that can leave participants in tatters, irrespective of the physical or mental state in which they approach it.
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Of the three I have in mind, only two are scheduled to go toe-to-toe again this time: Luis Enrique and Ronald Araújo. The other is Xavi Hernández, who, defeated and sent off on the night in April last year, only coached the club he passionately loves for seven more matches before they sacked him.
With that glimpse of Champions League glory (a potential semifinal against Borussia Dortmund and what would, hypothetically, have been Barça’s third Wembley final, this time a Clásico against Real Madrid lay ahead) while leading 4-2 on aggregate with 72% of the tie played, Xavi’s hopes of keeping his job disappeared. Such are the vagaries of football management.
That day, he told us: “I never want to have to face Barça again in the next 10 years. Not once! For my sake and for the family!”
Luis Enrique and his PSG analysts identified the Uruguay international as good … but not good enough if the correct pressure points were pushed. In a scene that he allowed us to use in the documentary (the title of which the PSG fans used for the banner welcoming Luis Enrique back to Parc de Princes following his Ballon d’Or-Johan Cruyff Trophy win), he dictates to his players precisely how he wants them to isolate and then exploit Araujo’s weaknesses.
During the team meeting the night before the match at Montjuïc, the PSG coach told his players: “This gentleman is Araújo. A top-level footballer. No question. But the Barça player with the most problems.
“Every time the ball goes towards him, in whatever situation, while the ball’s still in movement we’re already closing his passing line and then pressing him. We let Araújo come out with the ball. Whenever he does that, we isolate him, and we press him.”
Robson: Dembélé fully deserved to win the Ballon d’OR
Stewart Robson praises Ousmane Dembélés character as he wins the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
In less than half an hour, the prize arrived. Araújo, on the ball, unaware PSG had steered this into happening, was pressed and gifted a wayward pass to the PSG midfield, Bradley Barcola set off on a sprint toward Barça’s goalmouth and, then, a last-man foul from the harassed and no doubt embarrassed Uruguayan resulted. Free kick, red card and the balance of the entire tie tilted. Precisely as Luis Enrique had predicted.
Postmatch, Xavi lamented that competing 10 vs. 11 at that level, against a rival like PSG, was practically impossible. Luis Enrique deserves an NB (good note) here.
Disappointment often channels itself as anger and vitriol, but this was over the top and did damage. Araújo’s confidence and reputation were both badly hit and, ironically, it’s only really now that his importance to the team and self-belief have been fully restored.
On that dank, quiet, reflective afternoon in Poissy, Luis Enrique told us: “Those were two brutal weeks. For the family too … well everyone, naturally. Really hard, emotionally. We were burned out. I’m in pieces.
Now here he goes again. New rival in the Barça dugout, defending champion, injury-hit team but up against the club he (deep in his heart) feels strong emotion for. Not a knockout this time, granted, but loads and loads on the line. Emotions, pride and how he’s greeted by the Catalan fans and media, not least.
Garcia hails Yamal’s ‘fantastic’ impact on return from injury (1:58)Luis Garcia loves what he saw from Lamine Yamal, as the young star set up Barcleona’s winning goal on his return from injury. (1:58)
Luis Garcia loves what he saw from Lamine Yamal, as the young star set up Barcleona’s winning goal on his return from injury. (1:58)
CloseGraham Hunter is a Barcelona-based freelance writer for ESPN.com who specializes in La Liga and the Spanish national team.Follow on X
Given that eight of the top 12 players in last week’s Ballon d’Or ranking were scheduled to decorate Wednesday’s match, there has been understandable focus on the injury lists: Raphinha, Gavi, Ousmane Dembélé, Marquinhos, Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia all out; plus doubts of varying degrees surround João Neves, Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha.
However, it’s the two survivors who should interest you.
He added: “It was ‘heavy’ for my family, for my friends, for me. Wow! Too much!”
Enter stage right the other loser from that night: Araújo.
The next day, in fact days, were full of nasty, venomous, studs-in vitriol from Catalan media and social media, including comments like: “That was Mourinho-style behavior,” “Neither Xavi nor Pep Guardiola would ever celebrate coaching a win against Barcelona like that” and “Disgraceful, a complete lack of respect.”
Since that season, since knocking out the club he adores, at which he’s a socio (club member), and the club where he won 16 trophies as player and coach across 14 years, Luis Enrique is à la mode, as the French would say. He’s won nine of the 11 trophies available to PSG over two incredible years, including his second treble, and, as recently as last week, won the Ballon d’Or-Johan Cruyff Trophy 2025 as coach of the year by a landslide. But what subsequently went completely unnoticed is how much it cost him, and his family, to go through that 2024 ordeal of eliminating Barcelona from the Champions League.