PSG vs Real Madrid – On Tuesday night, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid will face off in the Champions League, with both teams hoping to take a lead in the first leg of their last-16 encounter.
The hosts finished second in Group A to qualify for the first knockout round, while Real Madrid, the 13-time champion, won Group D and advanced to the round of 16.
PSG bought Lionel Messi last summer in the hopes of finally winning the Champions League, and it’s safe to say that if they get past Real Madrid in the round of 16, they’ll be confident heading into the quarter-finals.
The capital club did not perform well in the group round of this season’s campaign, scoring 11 points from six games, but that was enough to place them second behind Manchester City in Group A.
Real Madrid, the most successful side in European Cup history with 13 titles, reached the semi-finals of last season’s edition as well, losing 3-1 on aggregate to eventual winners Chelsea.
Between 2013 and 2018, Los Blancos won the competition four times, but they have fallen in the round of 16 in two of their previous three Champions League seasons, and they will be wary of a PSG team that should have Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, and Lionel Messi available.
PSG vs Real Madrid – Team News:
Following a major ankle injury, PSG’s Neymar has returned to training, and the Brazilian is anticipated to be in the team for this encounter, although he is unlikely to start.
Sergio Ramos and Ander Herrera are both expected to miss out owing to calf and thigh problems, although Idrissa Gueye should be fit after helping Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations.
Angel Di Maria, Georginio Wijnaldum, Nuno Mendes, and Gianluigi Donnarumma are all likely to start, while Messi and Mbappe will both be present in the last third of the field, as head coach Pochettino makes changes from the squad that started against Rennes on Friday.
Ferland Mendy has been certified healthy following a hamstring ailment for Real Madrid, but Karim Benzema’s fitness is still a question mark.
Due to a hamstring injury of his own, the France international has missed Real Madrid’s previous two matches, but he will go to Paris and is expected to win his struggle to be available from the start.
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Mendes; Verratti, Gueye, Wijnaldum; Messi, Mbappe, Di Maria
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Asensio, Benzema, Vinicius
PSG vs Real Madrid – Head-to-Head
Our Prediction: Under 4.5 Goals
Recommended Predictions:
