According to a report by Barca Universal on Wednesday October 21, 2026, Barcelona’s dressing room believes that the defeat against Paris Saint-Germain could prove beneficial ahead of Sunday’s El Clasico against Real Madrid.

According to reports, as reported by Barca Universal, Barcelona’s players, coaching staff and directors returned from Paris convinced that the team remains on the right track despite suffering their first defeat of the season.

Rather than allowing the setback to create uncertainty within the squad, the Catalan club are reportedly determined to use the experience as motivation to respond against their biggest rivals.

“The defeat will do us good for El Clasico,” was one of the comments reportedly heard within Barcelona’s travelling delegation, with another view suggesting that the result could serve as a springboard for Sunday’s showdown.

Barcelona suffered a disappointing result against PSG on Tuesday, but the dressing room reportedly believes there are important lessons to take from the encounter as Hansi Flick prepares his team for a crucial meeting with Real Madrid.

Several factors contributed to Barcelona’s difficult evening in Paris. The reported injury problems involving Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde, Raphinha’s recent physical concerns and the need to manage key players all complicated Flick’s preparations.

The team also had to deal with travel difficulties following their journey from Seville and the subsequent trip to Paris, which reportedly contributed to fatigue within the squad.

However, Barcelona are not looking to use these circumstances as an excuse for the defeat. Instead, the priority is to identify the mistakes made against PSG and ensure that similar problems do not undermine their performance against Real Madrid.

There is reportedly no sense of crisis within the club, with the coaching staff and players maintaining confidence in their ability to respond. Flick has also emphasised the importance of keeping the bigger picture in mind, noting that the title is not decided in October.

Barcelona still have plenty of time to recover in the Champions League, but the immediate focus has shifted towards El Clasico, where they will have an opportunity to restore confidence and strengthen their position in La Liga.

Flick’s team selection against PSG also suggested that he was carefully managing his options with the meeting against Real Madrid approaching. Rodri reportedly started on the bench, while Raphinha and Pedri were both substituted around the hour mark.

The report further notes that the eleven players Flick considers his strongest available lineup did not feature together at any point during the PSG encounter.

Nevertheless, Barcelona’s defeat cannot be explained solely by squad management or fitness concerns. PSG also had their own injury problems, including the absence of Nuno Mendes and the early loss of Ousmane Dembele.

Barcelona must therefore demonstrate that they can learn from the experience and deliver a more convincing performance when Real Madrid visit the Spotify Camp Nou.

Sunday’s encounter carries significant importance for both teams, with Barcelona reportedly targeting a victory that would open up a nine-point gap over their rivals in La Liga.

Such a result would provide Flick’s side with a major boost in the title race while allowing them to put the disappointment in Paris behind them.

The Barcelona dressing room is said to view the upcoming Clasico as the perfect opportunity to respond, with the players determined to turn their frustration into motivation.