Barcelona v Paris St-Germain

              Three years ago, when Paris St-Germain were meandering towards a 13th-placed finish in France's top tier, few could have imagined they would ever be in a position to rival Barcelona. The modern-day PSG could hardly be more different from Barcelona. It would represent a remarkable renaissance for Beckham, and possibly the biggest challenge of his career so far. However, aided by Matuidi's energy and Verratti's talent, the 37-year-old may well prove capable of exerting influence once more against the best midfield in the world.A fanciful thought? Perhaps. But since the Qataris arrived, the Paris public has started to believe anything is possible. While the former was only founded in 1970 and is still seeking its true identity, the latter is 114 years old and regarded as both a national institution and cultural symbol.In both instances, the traditional powers will be expected to overcome their "nouveau riche" opponents - yet neither are foregone conclusions and PSG are relishing this opportunity to show Europe just how far they have come.  Unlike the Catalan outfit, who are coasting towards the Spanish title, PSG are only four points clear of Lyon in France having already lost to Sochaux, St Etienne, Rennes, Nice and Reims.Sporting director Leonardo was accused of arrogance when, after the most recent defeat at lowly Reims, he claimed PSG are "a team built for Europe", implying that they find it difficult to motivate themselves when playing on poor surfaces against lesser teams. The Qatari method of throwing huge sums of money at the club in the hope of creating a European superpower in extra-quick time contrasts with Barcelona's recipe for success, based upon youth development and an unwavering faith in their footballing philosophy. But the strategy of two marque signings per season does not compare to that of the Qatari investors.It is a clash of cultures that is reciprocated, albeit in less extreme fashion, in another interesting last-eight tie between Malaga - a club also influenced by Qatari investment - and Jurgen Klopp's free-flowing Borussia Dortmund side. Barcelona, too, have been helped on their way by big-money signings in recent years. Ironically, the £40m acquisition of Zlatan Ibrahimovic will line-up against his former employers in two weeks' time.A sudden, dramatic investment of more than £200m on new players following Qatar Sports Investment's (QSI) takeover in 2011 has seen the two-time French champions metamorphose into a team capable of competing with the very best.