At midnight, the queen competition of European clubs will have lost one of its most illustrious contenders: the great Real, holder of the coronation record in the event (13), or the emerging Parisian power which dreams of a first star in the wake of his star Mbappé, which should hold its place despite a blow received on one foot.
Both Madrid and Parisians approach this game as a final as a tipping point in their season, between the happiness of reaching the quarter-finals and the disappointment of an early elimination.
"It's a cleaver match, a final," said PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino.
The Real of Karim Benzema and Vinicius will have to score to make up for the delay conceded in the first leg, which PSG clearly dominated.
But Messi missed a penalty, exposing the Reds and Blues to a comeback from the Spaniards.
"Let's see Real Madrid," urges the Spanish sports daily Marca on Wednesday, which hopes for a "magical night against the powerful PSG" and notes that Mbappé, coveted by Real next summer, " will focus the gaze".
"Real-PSG, the return of the genius", title for its part the newspaper L'Equipe, with a large photo of the 2018 world champion surrounded by the main protagonists of the match.
Hero at the Parc des Princes, finding the opening in added time, Mbappé seems operational.
If he received a big sole on the left foot Monday in training, which raised fears of a possible package, the striker of the Blues "is fine", assured Pochettino on Tuesday.
"Play together"
The question of its future is one of the plots of this European blockbuster, which keeps fans on both sides in suspense.
The "White House" hopes to recruit the player (23) whose contract expires in June this summer, but the Parisian leaders are still trying to convince him to extend.
Presentation of the round of 16 second leg of the Champions League between Real Madrid and Paris SG Vincent LEFAI AFP
"There isn't a player in the world who wouldn't want to play with him," said Madrid midfielder Luka Modric.
Beyond the future of its best player, PSG plays very big.
Sportingly, he must confirm that he has strong enough shoulders to play for the title, the supreme objective of his Qatari owner.
The defeat in Nice (1-0), Saturday in the league, recalled the weaknesses of a team which, outside, has not won any C1 match this season (2 draws, 1 loss).
But Paris showed, on the way, that he could get back to the level when it mattered.
The prospect of playing the final "at home", at the Stade de France, a few kilometers from their Parc des Princes, should give "additional motivation" to the Parisians, according to Pochettino.
"If we play together, we have the possibility of winning, not only the match but more," Neymar assures us.
Prestige
PSG also made qualification a question of standing.
The club, which has just opened a store on chic Fifth Avenue in New York, needs a prestigious success to continue its conquest of new supporters.
From left to right, Mauro Icardi, Angel Di Maria, Lionel Messi and Marco Verratti, during PSG training at the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, March 8, 2022 GABRIEL BOUYS AFP
And what better than to qualify at the expense of the "White House", whose president Florentino Pérez saw his Parisian counterpart, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, oppose the idea of a Super League, a dissident competition that several major European clubs?
Paris dreams of qualification, but Madrid, too, has great ambitions.
Leaders of La Liga, the teammates of Karim Benzema have everything to overthrow PSG, despite the absence of Casemiro and Ferland Mendy, suspended.
The abolition of the away goal rule, since this season, can benefit them, since a 2-1 victory, for example, would send the two teams into extra time, when it would have qualified PSG last year. last.
"Our plan is to play a full game, defend well, play well with and without the ball. We will have to be smart," said Real coach Carlo Ancelotti.
In the other match of the evening (9:00 p.m.), Manchester City receives Sporting CP, without stress, after its wide success in the first leg (5-0), in Portugal.
© 2022 AFP