October 20
An Unexpected Alliance
The relationship between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona is undergoing a radical transformation. Having moved on from years of intense conflict, the two clubs have now forged a close partnership—a shift that coincides with their highly anticipated encounter this Tuesday, set to be an extraordinary footballing spectacle at the Parc des Princes.
According to Spanish media, the two clubs have become inseparable partners within the European Club Association (ECA)—formerly known as the Association of Professional European Football Clubs—in which Barcelona has resumed its active participation.
The relationship between Joan Laporta and Nasser Al-Khelaifi—who for years had traded accusations and engaged in disputes—has shifted to one of warm embraces. This comes amid speculation that the president of the Catalan club could assume the role of vice-chairman of the association during the general assembly scheduled for next season, following Barcelona’s return to the fold of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
The relationship between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain reached a breaking point during the 2016–2017 season; prior to this, the rivalry between the two clubs had been limited to competing over the recruitment of certain players, including the Brazilian defender Marquinhos.
In November 2016, however, Barcelona announced the end of its partnership with Qatar Airways—the club’s primary sponsor at the time—and the signing of a deal with the Japanese company Rakuten, a move facilitated by the friendship between Gerard Piqué and Hiroshi Mikitani.
Although the then-president of Barcelona, Josep Maria Bartomeu, was a continuation of the policies of his predecessor, Sandro Rosell—who had originally secured the sponsorship agreement with the Gulf state—he recognized the fans' discomfort with the partnership and decided to bring it to an end. This decision did not sit well with Qatar, and by extension, with Paris Saint-Germain.
That same season, the two clubs faced each other in the Champions League Round of 16. PSG thrashed Barcelona 4–0 at the Parc des Princes, only for the Catalan side to turn the tables in the return leg at the Camp Nou, securing a historic 6–1 victory.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi expressed intense frustration, both with his own players and with the performance of the referee, Deniz Aytekin, stating: "The result should have been different."
The following summer, newspapers ran a headline, "Time for Verratti," following an agreement reached with the Italian midfielder on the island of Formentera—where Bartomeu also happened to be vacationing.
The headline infuriated Al-Khelaifi, who perceived it as a maneuver orchestrated by the Barcelona president. Not only did he refuse to let the player leave, but he also extended Verratti’s contract and demanded that he sever ties with his agent, Donato Di Campli—who, in an attempt to push for the transfer, had famously remarked: "Verratti is a prisoner of the Emir." In silence, Paris Saint-Germain was preparing a stinging act of retaliation. Shortly thereafter, following secret meetings with the player’s father in São Paulo and Mallorca, the club triggered the €222 million release clause in Neymar’s contract.
At the time, Neymar was indisputably one of the best players in the world and the clear heir apparent to Lionel Messi at Barcelona. His departure came as a massive shock to the Catalan club and paved the way for the decline of its empire in the years that followed.
A cold war between the two clubs persisted for years, marked by various, albeit less intense, episodes—such as the 2019 move of Xavi Simons, one of the brightest prospects from the *La Masia* academy, to Paris Saint-Germain.
The conflict reignited fiercely in 2021, during the campaign for the Barcelona presidency. Joan Laporta—who was the frontrunner, though not yet elected—received word that the French club was making a move to sign Messi.
Laporta used this news to draw a contrast between the philosophies of the two clubs, stating: "We are a club owned by our members, whereas they are a state-owned club."
He also questioned Al-Khelaifi’s ability to sign the Argentine star, adding: "I don’t know if they can afford such a deal; I have been informed that they are incurring significant losses."
In response, Al-Khelaifi pointed out that Messi’s contract was set to expire in June, leaving the player free to negotiate with any party he chose. Ultimately—for whatever reasons—the Argentine icon ended up moving to Paris. Prior to this, a face-to-face meeting took place between Laporta and Al-Khelaifi at the Parc des Princes—the Barcelona president’s first such visit during his second term.
The atmosphere was so charged that the tension was palpable. The conflict between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona was not limited to the case of Messi; it also extended to Lamine Yamal, after the Parisian club floated a €200 million offer to sign him in 2024.
It remains unclear whether that offer ever officially reached Laporta’s desk, though the Barcelona president did acknowledge receiving word of PSG’s interest—conveyed, naturally, through the player’s well-known agent, Jorge Mendes.
Things began to shift a little over a year ago, when Joan Laporta started to gradually distance himself from the European Super League project. On October 8, 2025, he embraced Nasser Al-Khelaifi on the terrace of the Cavalieri Hotel in Rome, where the Barcelona president had been invited to attend an official gala dinner hosted by the European Club Association (ECA)—an event that led to his decision to remain within the association.
The handshake between the two men marked a decisive turning point; since then, both clubs have worked to strengthen their relationship, even regarding matters involving the transfer of players between them.
In January 2026, Drew Fernández moved to Paris following an agreement with the French club—a development that proved to be one of the most frustrating moments for Hansi Flick since he took charge of Barcelona, given the high regard in which the German coach held the player. Rather than entering into a new confrontation, Laporta and Al-Khelaifi agreed that Paris Saint-Germain would pay a slightly higher fee for the deal—8 million euros instead of the 6-million-euro release clause—to avoid any public display of friction between the two clubs.
A similar scenario unfolded over the summer, when Luis Enrique reached out to Ferran Torres to express interest in signing him. Paris Saint-Germain subsequently requested Barcelona’s permission to begin negotiations, which ultimately resulted in an agreement valued at approximately 50 million euros.
Today, Tuesday, the Parc des Princes will host another scene that reflects the significant shift in the relationship between the two clubs: Al-Khelaifi and Laporta are set to embrace in the main VIP box, just as they did in Rome a year ago.
After years of conflict and disagreement, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona have become close allies.
