The big last-16 match-up between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain gets underway on Wednesday night when the Parisian side travel to the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid, the two-time defending champions of the tournament, have had a dismal season so far, as they currently sit in fourth place in La Liga, 17 points behind runaway leaders and rivals Barcelona. As a result, Zinedine Zidane finds himself under immense pressure to deliver a trophy this season and the Champions League remains their only realistic hope.
On the other hand, PSG have never been in better shape to launch an assault on the Champions League, as they currently sit top of Ligue 1 and they also set a record in the group stage. They scored 25 goals in their six group games, a record, and they’d have won all six matches had it not been for a 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in the final game. The Parisian side will be hoping to banish the memories of last year’s tournament, where they were eliminated by Barcelona despite taking a four-goal advantage into the second leg. Like Zidane, manager Unai Emery is also under immense pressure to deliver a first Champions League triumph for the club after their spending spree last summer.
Real Madrid vs. Paris Saint-Germain Predictions
PSG go into this game as the favourites, but it’s still unknown as to whether they’ve banished last year’s memories. They’ve struggled to make the transition from playing at a lower level in Ligue 1 to playing against the top sides in Europe in the Champions League. On the other hand, Real are formidable at home in European competition, which makes a draw a good bet here.
Real Madrid vs. Paris Saint-Germain Betting Tips
- Real Madrid to win: 29/20
- Draw: 52/20
- PSG to win: 9/5
- PSG Draw No Bet: Evens
- Neymar to score first: 4/1
Head to Head
- The teams last met in the 2015/16 group stage, when a 0-0 draw in Paris preceded a 1-0 Real Madrid win in Spain.
- Real Madrid are looking to reach the quarter finals for the eighth successive year. They lost at this stage for six years in a row between 2005 and 2010.
- The Merengues have won 33 of their last 39 Champions League home matches, losing just once (4-3 to Schalke in 2014/15).
- Madrid have won just four of their eight La Liga fixtures since matchday six, losing two, although they were 5-2 winners at home against Real Sociedad on Saturday.
- Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in all six group games, registering nine goals overall.
- Gareth Bale has five goals in his last seven games in all competitions.
- Madrid have lost just two of their last 25 European fixtures, most recently the 3-1 defeat at Tottenham on matchday four, winning 17 and drawing six.
- Madrid have kept five successive clean sheets against French sides, scoring ten goals (W4 D1).
- This is PSG’s sixth successive round of 16 tie. They won the first four, but lost in dramatic circumstances to Barcelona 12 months ago.
- PSG were on the wrong end of the biggest comeback in Champions League history in last year’s round of 16. Having won 4-0 at home to Barcelona, the French team lost 6-1 away to bow out, with Neymar scoring twice and assisting one.
- The Parisian side have lost on their last four visits to Spain, three times against Barcelona and once against Real Madrid.
- PSG set a new Champions League record in the group stage, scoring 25 goals. Edinson Cavani, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe scored 16 of these.
- PSG have not lost the first leg of a round of 16 tie (W4 D1).
Real Madrid Team News
Dani Carvajal is suspended for the first leg, with Nacho expected to deputise instead of Achraf Hakimi. Casemiro didn’t feature against Real Sociedad at the weekend, but is expected to return to the starting XI, as is Gareth Bale.
Probable Real Madrid XI: Keylor Navas, Nacho, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema
Paris Saint-Germain Team News
Edinson Cavani missed out at the weekend, but is expected to return from injury ahead of Wednesday’s game. Thiago Silva, Marco Verratti and Layvin Kurzawa were all rested on Saturday and can expect to return to the starting line-up.
Probable Paris Saint Germain XI: Alphonse Areola, Dani Alves, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Layvin Kurzawa, Marco Verratti, Giovani Lo Celso, Adrien Rabiot, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Edinson Cavani
