Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Madrid 19/09/19

19 September 2019

A real clash of titans will take place at Parc des Princes as the reigning Ligue 1 holders, Paris Saint-Germain, take on the most successful European club, Real Madrid, in the opening match of Group A. Notably, the Parisians have failed to beat Los Blancos in all four of their previous UEFA Champions League (CL) H2Hs (D1, L3), with both of their last meetings featuring over 2.5 goals and seeing both teams score.

The hosts will be looking for payback after Real dumped them out of the competition in their triumphant 2017/18 CL campaign. Interestingly, although they’ve struggled to keep a clean sheet in all three of their CL group-stage fixtures the last term, the Parisians have pulled off two triumphs (W2, D1), scoring ten goals in the process. A free-scoring PSG side have struck at least one goal in 24 straight CL outings even though they’ve secured just four wins in their last 11 matches in the competition (W4, D2, L5). Also, a shock 3-1 home defeat to Manchester United in the CL round of 16 second leg last season was PSG’s third home loss in their previous 51 European games at this venue.

As for the visitors, none of their eight games in the 2018/19 CL campaign has ended in a stalemate (W5, L3), but their efforts to claim their fourth successive CL trophy have come a cropper in the round of 16 (a 5-3 aggregate loss to Ajax). Notably, six of Real’s eight CL games last season have featured over 2.5 goals although just three have witnessed both teams score. Nonetheless, Los Blancos’ outstanding European run has seen them win 27 of their last 41 CL matches (W27, D7, L7) and reach the semi-finals nine times in a row before last campaign’s failure. What’s more, Los Merengues feel comfortable when facing the Ligue 1 sides having sealed eight wins in their previous 11 H2Hs with the French clubs (W8, D3).