RB Leipzig vs PSG 19/08/20

19 August 2020

RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain will face off against each other at the Estádio da Luz this midweek, as the two sides stake their claims for their first-ever appearance in the UEFA Champions League final.

Leipzig’s second Champions League appearance saw them finish top of Group G, three points clear of fellow qualifiers Lyon. ‘Die Roten Bullen’ then moved on to sink Tottenham Hotspur in the round of 16, 4-0 on aggregate (1-0 A, 3-0 H) before defeating Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals 2-1. An impressive triumph over La Liga giants means Julian Nagelsmann’s men have scored over 1.5 goals in seven of nine Champions League outings this term although failed to keep a clean sheet in six. Far more dangerous after the break, they’ve managed 68.75% (11) of 16 European goals scored this season in the second half of play. It’s only Leipzig’s seventh UEFA clash against French opposition, with the German side winning just two of their previous six (W2, D2, L2).

Meanwhile, the ‘Parisians’ coasted through Group A last autumn, winning five of their six matches ‘to nil,’ with a lone exception of a 2-2 draw at Real Madrid. But, PSG’s ride through the knock-out stage has been anything but straightforward, as they had to overturn Borussia Dortmund’s 2-1 first-leg lead in the round of 16 (1-2 A, 2-0) before pulling off a stunning late comeback to beat Atalanta 2-1 in revamped the quarter-finals. Yet, Thomas Tuchel’s men boast the best defensive record in the Champions League this term, having conceded just four goals in nine fixtures in the competition. PSG’s last-16 success against Dortmund now means they’ve successfully negotiated their way through in all three of their previous UEFA ties versus Bundesliga rivals.