Rodri tells Barcelona whet they must do to reach PSG level

Barcelona midfielder Rodri has warned his teammates that they must drastically improve their defensive performances if they hope to dethrone back-to-back European champions Paris Saint-Germain.

The Spain international delivered the honest assessment of his squad’s tactical balance ahead of their massive UEFA Champions League clash against PSG at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday, October 20.

While Barcelona have been devastating going forward this season, Rodri insisted that outscoring opponents is not a sustainable formula against elite continental opposition.

“PSG are possibly the best team in the world. It will be a good test for us,” Rodri admitted.

“We are quite good in attack, but we have to improve a lot in defence. We still concede way too much. We have to adjust that to reach our full potential,” he added.

The upcoming fixture against the French champions represents the ultimate measuring stick for the Catalan giants.

Under the guidance of Luis Enrique, the Parisian outfit has established a modern dynasty, securing back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles.

Their most recent triumph saw them defeat Arsenal on penalties in the 2025/26 final at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest in May 2026.

Rodri knows what it takes to win in Europe, having scored the winner for Manchester City against Inter in the 2023 Champions League final, and his respect for the current PSG squad is entirely justified.

The midfielder’s comments regarding Barcelona’s offensive firepower are completely backed up by the underlying numbers.

The Catalan side boasts an absurdly potent attacking frontline this season, dominating LALIGA defences at will.

Across 11 matches in all competitions this season, Barcelona have smashed in 48 goals, 39 of them in nine LALIGA games.

Brazilian winger Raphinha is leading the charge with 12 LALIGA goals, the most in the division, and 14 in all competitions.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal has contributed a brilliant nine goals and eight assists in 11 appearances across all competitions.

However, translating that domestic dominance to the Champions League requires a solid foundation at the back.

Despite a perfect nine-win start in LALIGA, which equals Real Madrid’s 1968/69 record for the best opening in the league’s history, Barcelona have still conceded nine goals, an average of one per game.

Their defensive vulnerabilities were also exposed in Europe last season, when PSG beat them 2-1 in the league phase with a late winner, and Hansi Flick admitted: “We conceded a lot because we were tired.” Atlético Madrid then knocked them out in the quarter-finals.

Rodri, who transferred to Barcelona from Manchester City, recognises that giving up cheap goals will be severely punished by PSG’s elite forwards.