Where are they now? Barcelona’s XI from their unforgettable 6-1 remontada against PSG in 2017

In March 2017, Barcelona completed one of the greatest comebacks in their history by defeating Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 in the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 knockout clash.

Unai Emery’s PSG had thrashed Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg in Paris and looked as though they’d be cruising to the last 16 as long as they averted a disaster in Catalonia.

Barca came racing out of the traps, opening the scoring after just three minutes and opening up a three-goal lead to make the visitors sweat.

But an Edinson Cavani strike on the hour mark gave the visitors a crucial away goal and appeared to extinguish Barcelona’s hopes of a famous fightback. The away goal rule meant that Luis Enrique’s side needed another three goals to make it through.

As the clock ticked on past the 88th minute, that’s exactly what they did – scoring three times late on to make it 6-1 on the night and 6-5 on aggregate in one of the most remarkable results in European football history.

But what became of that Barcelona side? We’ve revisited Luis Enrique’s starting XI, plus substitutes, to see where they’re all at in 2024.

GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen

Seven years later, Ter Stegen remains Barcelona’s undisputed No.1.

The German has had his ups and downs over the years but he was nothing short of outstanding in Barca’s La Liga title victory last term and remains one of their best and most important players.

Ter Stegen has played 402 matches for the club and looks set to move into their all-time top 10 appearance-makers.

CB: Samuel Umtiti

This was Umtiti’s debut season at the Camp Nou. Back then he appeared destined to become one of the world’s top centre-halves, which he arguably was in his early days at Barcelona and his starring role in France’s 2018 World Cup triumph.

But injuries reduced Umtiti to just 50 games across his final four seasons in Catalonia before he went out on loan to Lecce.

The 30-year-old enjoyed an unlikely resurgence in Italy and has since returned to French football with Lille, but he’s taken another step back with just two league starts and less than 200 minutes of action this season.

CB: Gerard Pique

Pique announced his retirement midway through Barca’s title-winning 2022-23 campaign, calling time on a career that included nine league titles, four Champions Leagues, the World Cup and European Championships.

“Since my retirement I have disconnected from football,” he recently admitted.

“I didn’t watch any World Cup game, except for the final, and I didn’t watch the whole game.”

Despite that, he’s still heavily involved in football in his business ventures, as the owner of Segunda Division side FC Andorra and founder of the seven-a-side King’s League, which features a number of famous influencers and retired footballers.

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CB: Javier Mascherano

The dogged Argentinian stuck around at the Camp Nou for an eighth and final season after this.

He waved goodbye with one last domestic double in 2017-18 before a money-spinning move to Chinese Super League outfit Hebei China Fortune, eventually winding things down back in Argentina with Estudiantes.

Mascherano eventually retired in November 2020 and later took up a post as Argentina’s Under-20 coach, where he continues to serve today.

DM: Sergio Busquets

After 15 years, countless silverware and over 600 appearances – only three players made more for the club – Busquets departed his boyhood club in 2023.

Nowadays he’s turning out for Inter Miami, along with three of his former Barca team-mates.

FWR: Rafinha (Sergi Roberto, ’76)

Unlike the man on the opposite side, Rafinha played the role of a more defensively-minded wingback here.

The La Masia graduate, who unlike older brother Thiago followed in father Mazinho’s footsteps to represent Brazil, is currently turning out for Qatar Stars League club Al-Arabi.

He was replaced late on by fellow academy graduate Sergi Roberto when the game appeared to be fizzling out to an unmemorable conclusion.

But it was he that was the unlikely candidate that completed the most remarkable of comebacks, providing the finishing touch to Neymar’s lofted ball in the dying seconds of injury time. He’s still with the club as a useful enough utility man today.

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CM: Ivan Rakitic (Andre Gomes, ’84)

An often unheralded cog of Barcelona’s midfield in the post-Xavi era, hard-working Croatian Rakitic did lots of the dog’s work that allowed Barca to flourish – although he’d just departed the pitch when they scored their famous three late goals against PSG that night.

After six years winning everything there was to win with Barcelona, Rakitic made a romantic return to Sevilla… where he customarily won a second Europa League.

You’d be forgiven for forgetting where Andre Gomes is these days, or that he was on the pitch for all that madness in 2017. The Portuguese midfielder is still knocking about for Everton, playing occasionally while seeing out the final year of his lucrative contract at Goodison Park.

CM: Andres Iniesta (Arda Turan, ’65)

One of the greatest players in Barcelona’s history, Iniesta left the club in 2018 and went on to spend five seasons in Japan with Vissel Kobe. And he’s still going strong at the age of 39, turning out in the UAE for Emirates Club.

Luis Enrique responded to Cavani’s killer away goal by taking off Iniesta for the much-maligned Turan, who did little of note with Barca and never quite recaptured his best form from Atletico Madrid’s 2013-14 title-winning campaign.

The winger’s latter years were best remembered for his off-field controversies. He retired in 2022 after a stint with Galatasaray and is now serving as the head coach for Yorkshire Instanbul-based second-tier side Eyupspor.

FWL: Neymar

The show-stealer that night in Paris, Neymar scored the late free-kick that sparked the late fightback, coolly dispatched a penalty and then sent in the ball for Sergi Roberto’s late winner.

The Brazilian received a perfect 10 from WhoScored for his performance that night and it might well have been his finest hour. A display that may well have convinced PSG to pay his €222million release clause a few months later.

He won five league titles in six seasons in the French capital and notched more goals and more assists in fewer appearances for PSG than Barca, but he was frequently sidelined with injury and often missed their biggest European nights.

Neymar was hoping for a Ballon d’Or and PSG were hoping he’d deliver them a Champions League. The fact that neither happened has meant that his world-record transfer will be remembered as a disappointment.

Last summer he made an inauspicious move to Al-Hilal, but a cruciate ligament injury has reduced him to just five appearances for the Saudi Pro League champions-elect.

ST: Lionel Messi

The greatest player in Barcelona’s history seems to be loving life out in the Florida sunshine. Good for him.

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ST: Luis Suarez

“You deserved to leave like what you are: one of the most important players in the club’s history, achieving important things both as a group and individually,” posted old pal Messi when Suarez left for Atletico Madrid in 2020.

“And not to get kicked out like they did. But the truth is that at this point nothing surprises me.”

Suarez scored 198 goals across his six seasons with Barcelona and is their third all-time top scorer. Since departing he’s won titles with Atletico, Nacional and Gremio and is targeting yet more silverware in MLS alongside Messi, Busquets and Jordi Alba.