Barcelona (AFP)

"It's practically impossible": unlike 2017, FC Barcelona supporters appear disillusioned by sporting and extra-sporting disappointments, to the point of not believing in a new "remount" Wednesday against Paris SG, winner 4-1 in 8th first leg of the Champions League.

"We will go to Paris, see if we can go back!", Yet launched Sunday evening Joan Laporta, back to the presidency of Barça after a crucial election for the future of the club.

But this brave statement, in the euphoria of his electoral victory, does not mask the sporting reality: Barça of 2021 is no longer that of the attacking trio "MSN" (Messi-Suarez-Neymar) who had won the C1 2015 and made the Parisian defense dizzy in 2017 (6-1), erasing the heavy defeat suffered in the first leg (0-4).

"Let's be realistic. Today, for the socios of Barça, this round of 16 is almost already lost", explains to AFP Joan Bertran, "socio" (supporter-shareholder) of the Catalan club and president of Penya Anguera, one of the many groups of Barcelona supporters.

His words sum up the state of mind in which this still numb Barça approaches this round of 16 second leg of the Champions League: if there was an ounce of hope before the famous "remount" of March 8, 2017, this time - here, it is almost non-existent.

- "Miracles are rare" -

"The + epic remonstrances are done with the public," points out Joan Bertran, while most European matches remain condemned this season to the silence of the sanitary closed doors.

"In 2017, we played the return match at home, with the public. It has nothing to do with the Camp Nou is scary. That's how it is. PSG came with fear in their stomachs," recalls- he does.

And the speech of the Barcelona coach at the time, Luis Enrique, had fueled the "hope" of an achievement, remembers Alfredo Martinez, who has covered Barça for 30 years for the radio Onda Cero.

"Before the match, Luis Enrique said + there will be a moment when we will have a chance to qualify +. He did not give the feeling of being 100% convinced of what he was saying, but when Barça put the goal of 3-0, I remembered his words ", recalls the journalist for AFP.

"Miracles are very rare. Going up a 4-1 is eminently difficult", slice for his part Josep Pomer, "socio" aged 80 who attended twenty finals of his club of heart.

Even the small successful "comeback" against Sevilla on Wednesday (0-2, 3-0 ap) in the Spanish Cup semi-final return did not boost the morale of coach Ronald Koeman.

"A 2-0 is not easy to come up, but it's still easier to go up. A 4-1 is something else ... We will see if there is an opportunity to pass during the match. Otherwise, it will have to be accepted, "replied the Dutch technician.

"It's going to be very complicated ... But hey, we'll have a good game and try to compete", timidly hoped the side Jordi Alba.

- "Nothing is impossible" ?

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The fact remains that Barça has subscribed in recent seasons to European slaps: 3-0 against AS Rome, 4-0 in Liverpool and especially an 8-2 disillusionment against Bayern in the quarter-final of the last edition in Lisbon.

"This Barça is under construction. At the moment, we are in a good period, but not to the point of winning 4-0 or 5-1 in Paris," said Joan Bertran.

"Barça can win in Paris 0-2, 1-3, at the limit ... But from there to scoring four goals without PSG putting any ... no. It's practically impossible" , he repeats.

There are, however, some buds in this Catalan winter: the beautiful victory in La Liga in Seville (2-0), then that in Pamplona against Osasuna on Saturday (2-0), the successful transition to a pattern with three defenders, the outbreak young talents Ilaix Moriba, Pedri or Riqui Puig, and the election of the new president Laporta on Sunday ...

"Given what happened against Sevilla, nothing is impossible," dares to wish Enric, a 37-year-old Blaugrana supporter.

"If we take advantage of our chances in front ... we score two goals in the first half, and there we are, we will be in the game ..."

© 2021 AFP