Barcelona's coach, Xavi Hernandez, praised his team's impressive 3-2 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash, highlighting that the win signifies Barcelona's resurgence as contenders among Europe's elite clubs.

"We had ample time to prepare for this match, and our performance, both defensively and offensively, turned out exceptionally well. We are immensely proud of the team's efforts. PSG played excellently, but we managed to neutralize their threats effectively," Xavi remarked following Andreas Christensen's decisive 77th-minute header that secured the win for Barcelona at the Parc des Princes.

Barcelona initially took the lead through Raphinha at halftime, but PSG quickly responded with goals from Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha within the first six minutes of the second half. However, Raphinha's second goal, a volley from Pedri's pass, leveled the score before Christensen's late winner.

Reflecting on the significance of the victory, Xavi acknowledged, "It's a significant triumph against one of the top teams globally. Defending against PSG, with their pressing game, is challenging, but we executed our defensive strategy exceptionally well."

Despite the win, Xavi remains grounded, emphasizing the upcoming challenge in the return leg in Barcelona. "We're only halfway through, and the second leg will undoubtedly be challenging," he noted.

Barcelona's advancement to the Champions League quarter-finals marks their return to this stage for the first time since 2020, notably after the departure of Lionel Messi from the club.

Looking ahead to the decisive second leg, Xavi expressed confidence in his players' abilities. "Our players believe in themselves, and if they continue to perform with the same intensity and quality, we'll create opportunities. This match underscores that Barcelona is very much alive in this competition," he affirmed.

On the other side, PSG's coach, Luis Enrique, acknowledged Barcelona's victory but remains optimistic about PSG's chances to overturn the deficit in the return leg. "Congratulations to Barcelona for the win. We believe we could have achieved a different result, but we accept tonight's outcome and remain focused on the comeback," he stated.

Asserting his faith in his team's capabilities, Luis Enrique highlighted PSG's strong away record in the league this season and emphasized the importance of capitalizing on key moments in the upcoming match. "We could have won tonight, and we'll work to ensure that the details favor us in the return leg," he concluded optimistically.