Football is a young man's game? Well, that notion is as outdated as snorting cocaine on the touchline. Nowadays, players playing into their late-30s and early-40s is no big deal. In fact, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is soon-to-be 41 and is staying with AC Milan till at least 2023. Today, we see the top 10 oldest active footballers in the world in 2022. By the way, you can bet on sports directly on your smartphone on the Bluechip Betting app

The self-proclaimed lion of the game is a bodily marvel who is showing no signs of slowing down. However, Ibrahimovic is still not old enough to make the top three in the list of the oldest active footballers right now.

Jorge Molina – 40 years old (born April, 1982)

One of the rare centre-forwards on this list, Molina is starring with Granada since 2020. The former Real Betis and Elche star won the Pichichi Trophy in the Segunda Division back in 2010 with the latter.

Moreover, Molina is also the oldest-ever league goal scorer for Getafe and was on target as Granada defeated Barcelona at the Camp Nou in April 2021. There is no slowing down Molina as he aims to get Granada back up to La Liga in 2023.

Joaquin – 40 years old (born July 1982)

The beloved Spanish star has made countless memories wherever he has played. Joaquin rose to fame with over a decade-long spell split between Real Betis and Valencia.

The crafty winger has racked up almost 900 appearances over his career, which have included over a 100 goals.

Joaquin returned to Betis in 2015, leading them to Copa del Rey victory in 2022. The veteran captain is still an important part of the furniture, often brought off the bench to impact games.

Roque Santa Cruz – 40 years old (born August 1982)

Paraguay's greatest-ever player, Santa Cruz has won as much as he journeyed over his career. The striker made his name with Paraguayan powerhouse Olimpia, before a masterful showing at the 1999 Copa America.

That earned him a move to Bayern Munich, where he won five Bundesliga, four DFB-Pokals, and the 2001 Champions League titles. Since leaving in 2007, Santa Cruz has played in England, Spain, and Mexico, before returning to Olimpia in 2016.

Furthermore, Santa Cruz has also amassed over 100 caps for the national team and is their record goal-scorer with 32 goals.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic – 40 years old (born October, 1981)

The big Swede has been one of the most enigmatic footballers since his debut. Ibrahimovic has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world. The list includes Ajax, Inter, Barcelona, Manchester United, PSG, and LA Galaxy.

Moreover, he is also Sweden's record goal-scorer with 62 strikes. Ibrahimovic is one of the most decorated players in the game and has never been one to not talk about his impressive feats.

His return to AC Milan galvanized the side as they finally recaptured the Scudetto in 2022 after 11 years. There's a special bond between club and player which is set to continue blossoming.

Diego Lopez – 40 years old (born November 1981)

The former Real Madrid, Villarreal, and AC Milan goalkeeper is still going strong in Spain. Lopez had been with Espanyol since 2016, before joining Rayo Vallecano in 2022.

The 2014 UEFA Champions League winner was famously made first-choice under Jose Mourinho, relegating club legend Iker Casillas to the bench. Lopez is an astute figure in goal, who still has the hallmarks of a great goalkeeper.

In 2020-21, he had the best season of his career statistically by conceding only 25 goals as Espanyol won the Segunda Division.

Rabiu Ali – 41 years old (born September, 1980)

The Nigerian star is the current captain of Kano Pillars FC who was relegated from the Nigerian Professional Football League in 2021-22. Rabiu Ali has been with the wide since 2011, winning three league titles.

Moreover, he was with the Total Pillars before this spell. Ali has also represented Nigeria at the international level, making 18 appearances and scoring five times.

Shunsuke Nakamura – 44 years old (born June 1978)

The only player on the list who has an asteroid named after him. Shunsuke Nakamura is one of the greatest Japanese footballers ever. He is also one of the most successful ones in Europe.

Nakamura started his career with Yokohama Marinos, before the most memorable spell with Celtic in the mid-2000s. Nakamura was nominated for the 2007 Ballon d'Or, before winning the Scottish Player of the Year and the SFWA Footballer of the Year.

Moreover, Nakamura was also the first Japanese player to score in the UEFA Champions League. He is a two-time AFC Asian Cup winner and is currently with Yokohama FC in the Japanese second division.

Gianluigi Buffon – 44 years old (born January, 1978)

The indomitable goalkeeper who has seemingly been around forever. The Bianconeri legend had an epic start to his career with Parma in the late-1990s. Buffon won the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia before Juventus signed him for a record fee in 2001.

He would spend 17 years with the Old Lady, winning 10 Serie A titles and five Coppa Italias. Furthermore, Buffon has been a three-time runner-up in the UEFA Champions League.

He left for PSG in 2018, before returning to Juventus in 2019. The 2006 FIFA World Cup winner went back to Parma in 2021 and has signed a contract keeping him till 2024.

Kazuyoshi Miura – 55 years old (born February, 1967)

Probably the most well-known aged player right now, Miura is still rumbling along with no signs of stopping. He is the oldest goal-scorer in the J.League and began his career in 1986.

Miura has played in a number of clubs over the years, and he is currently with Suzuka Point Getters in the fourth division of the Japanese footballing pyramid.

Miura is known for superb goal-scoring abilities and has been heralded as 'King Kazu' over the years. He has made over 700 appearances at the club level, to go with 89 caps and 55 goals on the international stage.

Robert Carmona – 60 years old (born April 1962)

The most recent entry in the list due to the Guinness World Records officially recognizing him. Carmona is an Uruguayan native, who has never played at the top level. He has been playing for 45 years and has represented 30 clubs.

Carmona has made almost 2,200 appearances and has already spoken of prolonging his career as much as possible.

He is a centre-back by trade and is currently playing for Hacele Un Gol A La Vida in the Uruguayan fourth division. The club also doubles up as a community project, giving a platform to footballers aiming to break through.

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Proper fitness and training are a must for every sportsperson today. No matter which field of sports you are associated with, a nutrition-rich diet, exercising, and taking extreme care of physical health are an absolute mandate.

World-renowned athletes also inspire the younger generation to emphasize their physical health and lead a disciplined life. On this note, let's take a look at the top 6 male fittest players in the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest footballers of all time and a huge inspiration to billions. Apart from his football skills, the entire world knows Ronaldo for his chisled and well-featured physique.

The Portuguese captain had the physical capabilities of a 20-year-old when he joined Juventus in 2018. 

He had 7% body fat and a muscle mass of 50%. He weighs around 79 kg. The pivotal reason behind these extreme physical abilities is his dedication to fitness and his physical health.

No wonder his performances advanced at this level throughout the past years. 

Ronaldo focuses on his sleep and nutrition as he eats five times a day and sleeps 8 hours as well. The 39-year-old has an extreme fitness routine. He enjoys his cardio, pilates and strength exercises. 

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is undoubtedly the athlete who revolutionized the concept of fitness in India. He is one of the fittest athletes in India at the moment. The former Indian test skipper influenced, and still influences his teammates, the younger generation, and his fans to follow the path of a proper fitness regime.

There has been a massive improvement in his performance since he started eating clean and followed a definite path of athleticism.

Kohli weighs around 74.5-75 kg and has been maintaining that weight for the last few years. He is one of the fastest runners in cricket and focuses on nutrition and strength training to stay fit.

Mohamed Salah

The current Liverpool winger did not look like this when he left England in 2015 to join Italian Club Fiorentina and then Roma. However, since then, Egyptian footballers have become some of the fittest players in the world. 

He has a very low body fat percentage and maintains a disciplined life, making a lot of sacrifices to remain in shape. 

Salah generally has mixed variants of food to have all kinds of nutrition and then focuses on his training to stay fit. He normally trains twice a day if he is skipping his football practice. "My nutritionist says that because I don't have any fat on my body, I can eat what I want. I also don't drink, so it's fine," Salah told CNN in 2020. Discover the world of football with https://1xbitpakistan.com/

LeBron James

The 6 feet 8 inches tall LeBron James is one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history. The 113-kilo weight basketballer is undoubtedly the oldest NBA player currently.

James, throughout his career, has remained fit and lean. However, in 2014, he gained some weight but then lost many kilos with his diet and training. "I am very consistent with training my body, rehabbing my body, eating, having my body be very clean throughout this journey because I've always wanted to have a long career, or as long as I could be in this space," James told Tim Ferriss in an interview in 2018. 

Moreover, he sleeps more than 8 hours a day and sometimes 9 or 10 to recover well.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is one of the most influential figures in modern football. The 42-year-old, even after calling it a day, follows a strict regime to remain in his fittest form. According to GQItalia, his food items are carefully weighed on a scale.

No matter how small a quantity the food is, everything needs to be measured to the exact gram. Also, junk food is a strict no for him. His workout routine, along with a strict diet, are the reasons behind his fitness and strength

Rich Froning

This list would remain incomplete without Rich Froning, the greatest CrossFit athlete of all time. He is the first and only athlete to clinch the title of "Fittest Man on Earth" 4 times consecutively from 2011. He is immensely powerful and can deadlift 545 pounds. Also, he can snatch 300 pounds, and do 75 chin-ups after deadlifting 545 pounds. His interest in strength and CrossFit games began during his fire department training days.

Having scored a brace against Villarreal in LaLiga last week, FC Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski solidified his position in the top 3 in the list of most goalscorers in Europe's top five leagues in the 21st century. Lewandowski has now scored 360 goals in the top five leagues while playing for Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and for FC Barcelona in LaLiga. 

This article will highlight 8 players who have scored the most goals in the 21st Century in Europe's top five leagues, which include the Premier League (England), LaLiga (Spain), Serie A (Italy), Bundesliga (Germany), and Ligue 1(France).

8. Luis Suarez | 245 Goals

Luis Suarez, famously known as El Pistelero is one of the greatest strikers this century has ever witnessed. The Uruguayan legend had played in two of the top 5 European leagues and left his golden mark engraved everywhere he played.

Suarez showed his attributes in LaLiga for FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, whereas he played for Liverpool FC in the Premier League. He sits in the 8th position on this particular list with 245 goals by his name.

Read Also | MSN vs BBC: Rivalry of football's greatest trio in stats 

Suarez scored 69 Premier League goals for Liverpool FC in 110 appearances. He played for three years in Liverpool before Barcelona took him in in 2014. Suarez continued to display his bossing presence on the pitch as he scored 144 goals for Barcelona in 191 Laliga appearances over six years.

A dispute with FC Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman in 2020 led him to join their rivals in La Liga, Atletico Madrid. Suarez played in 67 Laliga matches for Atletico and scored 32 goals before leaving Europe in 2022. 

7. Sergio Aguero | 259 Goals 

Sergio 'Kun' Aguero is one of the best strikers that Argentina has ever produced and undoubtedly the greatest striker in Manchester City's history. His league-winning goal against QPR handed Man City their third Premier League title in 2012 and his goal remains one of the most iconic moments in football history. Aguero is 7th on this list with 259 goals in total.

Though he is mostly remembered for his achievements with Manchester City, it was Atletico Madrid that brought Aguero to European top-flights in 2006. Spending 5 years in LaLiga, Aguero scored 74 goals in 175 appearances for Atletico.

Read Also | Most goals for Manchester City: 19 Players to score 100 goals for them 

Then he moved to the Premier League to join Manchester City in 2011 and the following season he scored that iconic goal in the final matchday. Before moving back to LaLiga with Barcelona in 2021, Aguero already had scored 184 Premier Goals for City in 275 appearances. 

This legendary striker had to decide to retire in December 2021 because of a rare heart condition and could only play 4 matches for FC Barcelona before his retirement and managed to score only 1 goal.

6. Edinson Cavani | 267 Goals 

Another Uruguayan striker, Edinson Cavani is on the list and holds the 6th position. Cavani spent a significant amount of time playing for Paris Saint-Germain in the Ligue1. Cavani had also played for a long time for Palermo and Napoli in Serie A. He also had short stints at Premier League club Manchester United and LaLiga club Valencia.

Cavani moved to Europe to play for Palermo in Serie A in 2007. Though having scored 34 goals in 109 appearances he was loaned to Napoli in 2010. Napoli signed him permanently after the loan agreement ended in 2011.

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Cavani spent two years at Napoli scoring 78 goals in 104 Serie A appearances. His spell at Paris SG is often underappreciated though he showed his best goalscoring prowess for them, with 138 Ligue1 goals in 200 appearances by his name. 

Cavani joined Manchester United in 2020 and before leaving in 2022, he had 12 Premier League goals in 41 appearances. His last stint in Europe was in LaLiga as Valencia signed him in 2022 on a free transfer and he left Europe after just one year in Spain. 

5. Karim Benzema | 281 Goals 

Karim Benzema was a name that was always mentioned after Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale during their time together at Real Madrid. But after Cristiano's departure, Benzema managed to unveil his potential and showcased his absolute brilliance for Real Madrid. Most importantly, Benzema won Ballon D'or in 2022 for his monstrous performance in the Real Madrid shirt in the LaLiga and the UEFA Champions League.

Read Also | Ballon d'Or 2024: Most Ballon d'Or wins by Clubs 

Having spent more than a decade in Real Madrid, he scored 238 goals in 439 LaLiga appearances. Before joining Real Madrid in 2009, he spent 4 years at Olympique Lyonnais where he scored 43 goals in 112 Ligue1 appearances. Benzema left Real Madrid and Europe in 2023. He is 5th in the list with 281 goals in total. 

4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 302 Goals 

No other player in this list has had the pride of playing for six top European clubs in the top five European Leagues but we have always witnessed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a different breed. His famous arrogance also reflected on the pitch. This Swedish striker had appeared in the Premier League, LaLiga, Ligue1, and Serie A and played for AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Manchester United, FC Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain.

Ibrahimovic's career was nothing short of a roller-coaster ride. He joined Serie A side Juventus from Ajax in 2004. After two years He joined another Serie A side, Inter Milan. After spending three years at Inter, Zlatan left Italy and signed for the Spanish club FC Barcelona.

Read Also: Most Iconic Rivalries in European Football Leagues: History & Stats 

However, his time in Barcelona was not very special as he was loaned back to Italy, and the other side of Milan welcomed him this time. He spent a year on loan in AC Milan and they permanently signed him in 2011. But his expedition continued as he signed for Paris Saint-Germain in 2012. Zlatan left Paris in 2016 and went to test himself in the Premier League with Manchester United signing him. But in 2018, his sudden move to the USA to play for Los Angeles Galaxy shocked everyone.

Zlatan came back to Europe again in 2020 and spent the last three years of his illustrated career at AC Milan. During his long exploration of 18 years in the top five European leagues, he collected 302 goals in total and now stands 4th in this list. 

3. Robert Lewandowski | 360 Goals*

The Polish Goal-machine Robert Lewandowski is the only active player in this list who is playing in a European top-flight league. The current Barcelona forward spent most of his career in the Bundesliga playing for Borussia Dortmund and mostly for Bayern Munich. Lewandowski achieved many triumphs with Bayern Munich and broke many individual and league records. He also won the Sextuple with Bayern in 2020. 

Lewandowski came to the Bundesliga in 2010 to play for Borussia Dortmund and during his 4-year stint at Dortmund, he scored 74 goals in 131 Bundesliga appearances. He joined Dortmund's arch-rival Bayern in 2014 and spent eight long years for the Bavarians. He registered 238 goals in 253 Bundesliga appearances for Bayern.

Read Also | Top 10 players with the Most goals in a single season 

Lewandowski joined FC Barcelona in 2022 and currently plays for them and has already scored 48 goals for the Blaugranas in 75 LaLiga appearances. With a total of 360 goals, he stands in the 3rd position and is the only active player from this list who is playing in Europe. 

2. Cristiano Ronaldo | 495 Goals 

Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the greatest player of all-time alongside Lionel Messi and without a doubt, he is one of those few clutch players who can change a game in seconds. The 'CR7' is considered the greatest goalscorer ever because of his immense talent and most effective goalscoring prowess. The Portuguese bossed in three top European Leagues for nearly two decades while playing for Juventus, Manchester United, and mostly for the club that is almost synonymous with him, Real Madrid.

Ronaldo holds many individual and club records and is considered one of the greatest players in Real Madrid's history. Alex Ferguson brought him to Manchester United in 2003 and at a very young age. Ferguson nurtured Ronaldo and turned him into one of the most dependable players of Manchester United at that time. He scored 84 goals in 196 Premier League appearances before signing for Real Madrid in 2009.

Read Also | Statistical Overlook of Messi vs Ronaldo Debate: Who Is the G.O.A.T

His chapter in Real Madrid lasted a decade but carved a story that would impress people from all over the world. Ronaldo scored 311 goals in 292 appearances in LaLiga. 

In 2018, Ronaldo moved to Italy to play for Juventus and registered 81 goals in 98 Serie A appearances. In 2021, he came back to his younghood club Manchester United but it did not go as he wished.

Ronaldo left the club in 2022 after a contract termination but with 19 goals in 40 PL appearances in his second spell in England. Ronaldo left Europe in 2023. He scored 495 goals in total and stands 2nd on the list.

1. Lionel Messi | 496 Goals 

Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest footballer of all-time and a phenomenon that has impressed generations. The 'LM10' is considered the greatest because of his immaculate skills and literally everything he does on the pitch. Messi is undoubtedly the greatest player to ever grace Barcelona's crest as well. Messi played in LaLiga for FC Barcelona for almost two decades and has taken possession of many personal records and accolades. Messi also played for Paris Saint-Germain in the Ligue1.

Read Also | 10 players who have won the most trophies in football history 

The greatest La Masia graduate was promoted to the senior Barcelona team in 2005. He lived every minute on the pitch and gave his blood and sweat to Barcelona for nearly two decades. During this long journey, Messi made 520 LaLiga appearances and scored 474 goals. 

Messi joined PSG in 2021 over a dispute over his contract renewal with FC Barcelona and played two years for them. Before leaving PSG and Europe in 2023, he scored 22 goals for the French team in 58 Ligue1 appearances. Lionel Messi tops the list of the highest goalscorers in the top five leagues in the 21st century.

A penalty seems the easiest way of scoring for any player in football. However, it is one of the most difficult things in the game. From the outside, it may look easy but it takes a lot to score from the spot on such big occasions. The player needs to have a strong mental state to succeed under pressure. Even the biggest stars of the game make blunders on those occasions. In this article, we are going to look at the top 5 players who have missed the most penalties in their career.

Read Also: Messi vs Ronaldo: Who is better at taking penalty?

Top 5 Players who have missed the most penalties in their career

5. Antonio Di Natale - 15

Antonio Di Natale, the former Italian striker is fifth in this list. His entire club career was spent playing for the Italian club Udinese where he scored 258 goals in 606 matches. Natale was a poacher, a beast inside the box but he struggled with penalties and had a poor record. Out of 58 penalties he took, he missed 15.

4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic - 16

Zlatan Ibrahimovic who played almost in every big club and showed he was one of the best to ever play the game is fourth in this list. He played in almost every top league in the world and scored an ample amount of goals in his career. The forward was ruthless in front of the goal and could score goals by any means. But, he missed out on 16 occasions from the spot.

3. Francesco Totti - 20

Francesco Totti was an absolute legend of the game and gave his everything for AS Roma and Italy. He scored 250 club goals during his 25-year career before hanging up his boots in 2017. He is a prime example of royalty as he refused to play for other big clubs when he was at the peak of his career. However, Totti missed 29 penalties out of 106 throughout his career and that's the reason he is third on this list.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo - 30

Cristiano Ronaldo needs no introduction. Everyone knows what he has achieved in his professional footballing career until now. The Portuguese star still makes headlines every now and then. For his teams, he has always been the first-choice set piece and penalty taker because he is a big-moment player who knows how to react on important occasions. However, more chances also bring more misses. He has missed a total of 30 penalties out of 194 attempts. His most recent miss came in the UEFA Euro 2024 when he had the chance to win the game for his nation against Slovenia. 

1. Lionel Messi - 31

The record eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi who has already completed football by winning accolade possible with his clubs and country is at the top of this list. He is considered one of the greatest ever and has proved those claims whenever he plays. The Argentinian rarely drops a poor performance as he is still so good. However, Messi's only thing that has given the doubters question him is his penalty-taking ability. However, he has proven himself many times from the spot. Out of 140 attempts, Leo has missed out on 31 occasions.

PSG, the powerhouse of football from France have always been close to winning their ultimate title UEFA Champions League, but never won it. Meantime, FC Barcelona, the football giants from Spain have been there, seen it and won it 5 times in their history to cement their legacy. And, when two brute forces like these two clubs face each other, fans get to see an exciting game on the field. The drama, chaos, goals, tackles and saves, all get inked in the memories of fans after matches between PSG and FC Barcelona. As these two teams get ready to face each other for the 14th time, we present you all the results from the PSG vs Barcelona matches since the 2012/13 season.

Overall head-to-head

Till now in the 13 PSG vs Barcelona matches, Paris have won 4 times and FC Barcelona have won 5 times while the game ended in a draw 4 times. All the matches except one in the 1996/97 season have been played in the UEFA Champions League. 

Results from every PSG vs Barcelona match since 2012-13

Data from Transfermarkt

Season	Competition	Matchday	Venue	Date	Time	Result
20/21	Champions League	last 16 2nd leg	H	10.03.2021	00:30	PSG	1:1	Barcelona
20/21	Champions League	last 16 1st leg	A	16.02.2021	00:30	Barcelona	1:4	PS
16/17	Champions League	last 16 2nd leg	A	08.03.2017	00:15	Barcelona	6:1	PSG
16/17	Champions League	last 16 1st leg	H	14.02.2017	00:15	PSG	4:0	Barcelona
14/15	Champions League	Quarter-Finals 2nd leg	A	21.04.2015	00:15	Barcelona	2:0	PSG
14/15	Champions League	Quarter-Finals 1st leg	H	15.04.2015	00:15	PSG	1:3	Barcelona
14/15	Champions League	Group F	A	10.12.2014	00:15	Barcelona	3:1	PSG
14/15	Champions League	Group F	H	30.09.2014	00:15	PSG	3:2	Barcelona
12/13	Champions League	Quarter-Finals 2nd leg	A	10.04.2013	00:15	Barcelona	1:1	PSG
12/13	Champions League	Quarter-Finals 1st leg	H	02.04.2013	00:15	PSG	2:2	Barcelona

Results since 2012-13

PSG and Barcelona have always produced some great matches over the years. Since PSG's resurgence in European football in 2020 decade, the matches have been more enthralling with Barcelona going through their best times in football history.

Champions League 2012/13 QFs | Barcelona won in away goals

In the 2012/13 Champions League quarter-finals, Barcelona went through with the away goal advantage. Both the legs were drawn but Barcelona's 2-goal draw in Paris helped them peep over Paris's 1-goal draw in Barcelona. Xavi and Lionel Messi scored in the first leg for Barcelona while Blaise Matuidi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored for PSG. In the second leg, Javier Pastore scored first for PSG but Pedro scored in the 71st minute to rescue Barcelona. 

Read Also: A dream Football XI with most valuable football players [2024]

2014/15 UCL Group F and QFs | Barcelona won 3, PSG won 1

The 2014-15 UEFA Champions League season saw PSG and Barcelona face each other four times as they played two games in a Group F fixture and then went on to face each other in the quarter-finals as well. In the group fixture, PSG won their home game by 3-2 with David Luiz, Marco Verrati and Blaise Matuidi scoring for them. Lionel Messi and Neymar also scored in that match for Barcelona. Barcelona, then took revenge in their home fixture as they won the match by 3-1. Messi, Neymar and Suarez scored for them while Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored for PSG. Barcelona topped the group with 15 points.

In the quarter-finals, Barcelona looked like a different beast altogether as M-S-N continued his dream run that season. In the first leg in Paris, Barcelona beat PSG by 3-1 with Luis Suarez scoring a brace and Neymar finding the net once. In the second leg, Neymar scored a brace for Barcelona as they knocked out PSG with an overall score of 5-1 after both legs. Barcelona went on to win the UEFA Champions League that season with Neymar and Lionel Messi scoring 10 goals in the tournament. 

Read Also: Top 10 players with the Most goals in a single season

2016-17 UCL last 16 | Barcelona won by 6-5

The 2016-17 UEFA Champions League season saw one of the most iconic and memorable comebacks of football history as Barcelona negated PSG's 4-0 lead after the first leg and won the home leg by a massive 6-1 margin. Julian Draxler and Edinson Cavani's goals and Angel di Maria's brace helped PSG gain a huge 4-0 lead in the first leg. But, their party was over in the second leg as Barcelona wrote history with a 6-1 comeback at Camp Nou. Suarez opened the gate for them, Messi converted a penalty, then Neymar scored a brace and finally Sergi Roberto scored a 90+5 minute stunner to take them to the quarter-final. That season saw Neymar signing for PSG in the next transfer window.

2020-21 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 | PSG won 5-2

Post 2014-15's success Barcelona started to fade in the biggest club football tournament in the world. With many players retiring and the club facing multiple financial crises, Barcelona struggled to go shoulder-to-shoulder against one of the strongest teams in PSG. A red-hot Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick to help PSG win the first leg by 4-1. Messi scored the lone goal for Barcelona from the penalty spot. Though Barcelona fans were hoping for a comeback like 2014-15, PSG did not let that happen twice. Both Mbappe and Messi scored in the first half of the match as the second leg ended at 1-1 and PSG won the fixture with an aggregate result of 5-2. PSG eventually were knocked out by Manchester City in the semi-finals and that saw Lionel Messi joining PSG in the next season.

PSG vs Barcelona: Top goalscorers

In the PSG vs Barcelona matches so far, PSG have scored 21 goals while Barcelona scored 24 times. Neymar Jr has scored the most number of goals (7) in PSG vs Barcelona fixtures. Lionel Messi comes at the number two position with 6 goals against his name.

Players	Goals
Neymar Jr.	7
Lionel Messi	6
Kylian Mbape	4
Luis Suarez	4
Angel di Maria	2

What's next? 

Both PSG and Barcelona will face each other again in the UEFA Champions League 2023-24 Quarter-finals. The first leg will take place on the 11th of April in Paris while the second leg will take place in Barcelona on the 17th of April. Both the matches will start at 12.30 am IST.

 

Pep Guardiola has won 38 trophies throughout his illustrious career and he has undoubtedly had a positive impact on the vast majority of players that he has worked with throughout his time with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has admitted that he has been unable to help Kalvin Phillips match his Leeds United form at the Etihad following last summer's £45million move. Injuries and an intense competition for places have meant that Phillips has started just four games for the Premier League champions, although the 27-year-old is set to start against Newcastle United in the EFL Cup this evening as Rodri begins a three-match suspension.

However, for varying reasons, some players just don't seem to click under Guardiola. We've picked out examples who Pep Guardiola has struggled to get the best out of.

Kalvin Phillips

It usually takes players a good 12 or so months to settle into life under Guardiola, but one year on from Phillips' £42million move from Leeds United, we aren't seeing much progression.

The England international had to play second fiddle to Rodri in Man City's treble-winning campaign and he's only managed 645 minutes of first-team football since making the move to the Etihad.

"Marcelo got the best out of Kalvin in his career," Guardiola told reporters. "I would love to have done with Kalvin what Marcelo had done with him, but it is what it is."

Mario Gotze

The German midfielder became Guardiola's first signing for Bayern Munich as they snapped him up from Borussia Dortmund in 2013. While Gotze did get his hands on seven trophies with the German giants, Guardiola never managed to unlock his full potential.

Despite delivering 36 goals in 114 appearances under Pep Guardiola, Gotze struggled to replicate his best form while playing under the Spanish coach.

"Technically, was a tremendous asset," Gotze told DAZN in 2018. "But he is very focused on the game and doesn't think about players outside of his plan. He didn't have much empathy, and empathy is part of being a world-class coach."

Medhi Benatia

Guardiola splashed around £22million on Benatia in the summer of 2014 and the pair spent two years together at Bayern Munich. The Moroccan defender struggled to showcase his best form while in Germany as he was often in and out of the starting 11.

In an interview with Radio Monte Carlo last year, Benatia opened up on where things went wrong between himself and Guardiola: "Guardiola is someone who does not attach much importance to human relationships.

"He said to me: "I bought you, I wanted you. You have this quality and the other quality. I need this, I will teach you this and that, you are here to do what I say, but we are not here to be friends."

Read More: https://sportzpoint.com/football/manchester-citys-expenditure-with-pep-guardiola/

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan's blockbuster move from Inter Milan to Barcelona in 2009 sent shockwaves throughout the footballing world. The Swedish forward was one of the best in the business at the time and this seemed like a match made in heaven.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long until the cracks started to show. As Guardiola wanted to build his new system around Lionel Messi, Ibrahimovic quickly found himself playing second fiddle to the Argentine genius.

The Swedish forward ended his sole season under Guardiola with 16 league goals, which pales in comparison to the sort of numbers he put up with Inter, AC Milan and PSG.

"He (Jose Mourinho) is the exact opposite of Pep Guardiola," Ibrahimovic wrote in his book. "If Mourinho lights up a room, Guardiola draws the curtains."

Alexander Hleb

Following some noteworthy spells with Stuttgart and Arsenal, Hleb linked up with Guardiola at Barcelona ahead of the 2008–09 season. However, unlike his time spent under Felix Magath and Arsene Wenger, Guardiola struggled to get a tune out of the Belarus international.

Hleb only lasted one season under Pep Guardiola until the Spanish boss decided to ship him out on loan for the remainder of his time at the club.

"I didn't regret my move to Barcelona," Hleb told a Russian sports programme. "However, after I left Barca, I actually started to feel it. But honestly, I'm the one to blame. There were changes in my personal life, I was nervous, I didn't listen to anyone.

"When Guardiola told me to learn Spanish, I took his words aggressively and kept my collision course. Surely, what coach would put up with all this stuff?"

Danilo

The Brazilian defender might have picked up two Premier League titles under Guardiola, but there can be little debate that he struggled to live up to expectations in England.

Danilo was in and out of the starting 11 at Man City as Guardiola struggled to get a consistent tune out of him. After two fairly unspectacular years, Man City sold him to Juventus, where he has been more of an established first-team star.

"It's true it's not easy to have a good relationship with him ," Danilo told Repubblica. "He is never relaxed, he thinks about football all the time. I think at home, in the evening, he puts his wife on the couch as if she were a player on the pitch."

Dmytro Chyhrynskyi

Signed during the summer of 2009, Guardiola rolled the dice on Chyhrynskyi and splashed around £22million on the Shakhtar Donetsk defender.

Despite originally pushing for the signing, Pep Guardiola struggled to get the best out of the Ukraine international and he spent just one season at Camp Nou before he returned to  Shakhtar.

"I never say that I played for Barca. I say: 'I was at Barca'," Chyhrynskyi explained. "And that's different, because to say that you played there you need to have been an important part of the team."