Barcelona's position at the top of LaLiga has never looked stronger on paper, yet the days following their 5-2 demolition of Real Betis have exposed real concerns beneath the surface. Hansi Flick's side sit first in LaLiga with 27 points from nine games, seven clear of Atletico Madrid in second, and their attacking output against Betis was formidable, generating 3.04 xG with 69% possession. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring and drew praise from both Neymar and Flick himself, with the Barcelona manager declaring the teenager the best player in the world.

The concern now is defensive. Eric Garcia has been ruled out of the upcoming PSG fixture and the El Clasico against Real Madrid, while Jules Kounde is a serious doubt for the latter. Flick admitted he is waiting on medical assessments for three players, and Rodri added to the unease by publicly warning his teammates to tighten their defensive transitions despite the win. The concession of two goals against Betis was not lost on the squad.

Off the pitch, a fog-delayed flight to Paris disrupted pre-match preparations ahead of Tuesday's Champions League tie at the Parc des Princes. PSG will be without Nuno Mendes through injury, though Luis Enrique has outlined a specific plan to stop Yamal. Barcelona arrive with momentum but a stretched backline, making the trip to Paris their sternest test of the season so far.