Maxwell Favors PSG Emotionally Ahead of Barcelona Clash

Paris Saint-Germain will face Barcelona in a UEFA Champions League showdown at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, with former defender Maxwell expressing a stronger personal connection to the French club and forward Desire Doue insisting that Paris will not alter its attacking approach because of Lamine Yamal.

Maxwell discussed his relationship with both teams in an interview with Sport, published ahead of the European fixture. The Brazilian former left back enjoyed major sporting achievements with Barcelona but described his experiences in Paris as the foundation of a different, particularly personal bond.

The comments offered insight into his enduring connections with both clubs as they prepared to meet in a high-profile Champions League contest scheduled for 9 p.m. local time, according to French media reports.

Maxwell acknowledged Barcelona's importance in his career, highlighting the success he achieved there and the opportunity to share a dressing room with elite players. However, he distinguished those sporting accomplishments from the personal experiences that shaped his relationship with PSG.

"It is difficult to say, because I have a somewhat different relationship with PSG. I have a lot of respect for Barcelona and enormous affection for the club. From a sporting perspective, it gave me the greatest successes of my life.

I shared a dressing room with players I could never have imagined playing alongside. I have a great deal of affection for Barcelona, but obviously my relationship with PSG is different because of many things I experienced at the club," Maxwell said.

His remarks reflected the separate significance of the two institutions in his playing career, with Barcelona associated with major sporting achievements and PSG carrying a distinct personal meaning.

On the pitch, PSG forward Desire Doue rejected the suggestion that Barcelona's young Spanish winger Lamine Yamal would prompt a tactical change from the home side. Speaking to Canal+ shortly before kickoff, the French attacker said his team intended to follow its established approach rather than focus its preparations on an individual opponent.

"Will we play differently because Lamine Yamal is there? No! No...

We will play as usual. Our objective is to score a lot of goals," Doue said.

Doue, formerly of Stade Rennais, also emphasized PSG's determination to play with intensity and pursue an attacking performance against Barcelona. His comments indicated that the Paris side intended to prioritize its own offensive plans despite Yamal's influence on the opposing team.

"We will have to be ready, and we will be. We will bring a lot of intensity tonight; we want to score a huge number of goals," Doue said.

Barcelona's Yamal, 19, was expected to operate on the right wing, matching Doue's position for PSG. French outlet Foot01 reported that Paris would not abandon its usual approach because of the Spanish international, whom the report described as one of Europe's standout performers at the start of the season.

PSG also faced a defensive challenge on its left flank because Nuno Mendes was unavailable through injury. According to Foot01, Lucas Hernandez was expected to take responsibility for defending against Yamal in one-on-one situations, placing the French defender in a key matchup during the Champions League encounter.