Paris Saint Germain VS Real Madrid Match Prediction
2019-09-18
19:00:00
Paris Saint Germain
VS
Real Madrid
Our Prediction Tip
Paris Saint Germain will win this match.
2019-09-1819:00:00 Paris Saint Germain will win this match.
PSG and Real Madrid last faced each other in the last 16 of the 2017-18 competition, when the La Liga side won both games – 3-1 at the Bernabeu and then 2-1 away. Cristiano Ronaldo was their star man, scoring three times. Prior to that, their last group stage meeting was in 2015. In Paris, the teams drew 0-0 while in Madrid the hosts won 1-0. Their only other European meetings were in the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons, as PSG knocked Real Madrid out of the UEFA Cup and then the European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are both suffering due to injuries and suspension. Real are without Sergio Ramos and Nacho, while PSG must do without Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
In a way, however, those absences cancel each other out. Furthermore, Real have been poor defensively this season anyway and PSG have been scoring without their talismanic strikers.
Mauro Icardi could come into the team for the hosts, and he will look to make an early mark for his new club, while the likes of Angel di Maria ensure there is still plenty of attacking quality.
For Real, attacking quality is something they do not lack – Eden Hazard is back to fitness, while Karim Benzema is in good goalscoring form and Gareth Bale scored twice last time he played too.
They can certainly take this game to PSG, and they are definitely capable of goals against their former keeper, Keylor Navas.
The problem for the visitors is the other end of the pitch. The two goals conceded against Levante raised more questions about their defence despite a win at the weekend.
If they do not fix the defensive issues, they could suffer as PSG look to prove they can compete with the biggest names in Europe – an area they are yet to fully convince anyone.
Paris Saint-Germain are narrow favourites with the bookmakers, who have priced them at 6/5 to win with Bet365, Ladbrokes, Betfair, Betway, 10Bet and 888sport. Real Madrid are a best price of 11/5 with Bet365, who have the draw at 13/5.
Real have struggled defensively this season but they are returning to full strength up front. Both teams to score has been set at 1/2 with Bet365. PSG to win and BTTS is priced at 11/4 with Bet365 and Betway. Real to win and BTTS is 15/4 with Bet365.
Over 2.5 goals will return 3/5 with Betfair, meanwhile.
Karim Benzema is in good goalscoring form for Real Madrid and he is a best price of 17/10 to score at any time. For PSG, Mauro Icardi is 17/10 with Ladbrokes, while Betway are offering 2/1 on Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting.
With Paris Saint-Germain’s attacking stars absent and Real Madrid light at the back, both teams’ issues seem to counteract each other. Real have conceded too many goals this season and that could be the difference as PSG look for a home win.
Keylor Navas is set to face his former team in goal, but Paris Saint-Germain are battling a long injury and suspension list. Neymar returned to league action at the weekend but is suspended for the first three Champions League matches after comments he made about officials last season. Kylian Mbappe is also expected to miss out, while Edinson Cavani is not fully fit. That is likely to mean starts for loanee Mauro Icardi and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. Thilo Kehrer and Julian Draxler are also ruled out.
Angel di Maria – The former Madrid winger is one of the only one of PSG’s superstar attacking force available for this match, where he will be a key creative figure going forward.
Mauro Icardi – With Neymar, Mbappe and possibly Cavani all missing, this is a big chance for the Inter loanee to make an early impression with his new club.
Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting – The much-maligned striker has scored three times this season and is another who could benefit from the unavailability of his fellow strikers.
Paris Saint-Germain have bounced back from a 2-1 defeat at Rennes with three consecutive wins. They beat Toulouse 4-0, with Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting scoring twice. He then scored again, after Angel di Maria’s penalty gave PSG the lead, in a 2-0 win at Metz. Last time out, meanwhile, Neymar scored a stoppage-time winner in a 1-0 defeat of Strasbourg.
Real Madrid’s main problems are defensive. Both Sergio Ramos and Nacho are suspended, with Eder Militao and Raphael Varane set to partner each other at the back. Eden Hazard, James Rodriguez and Brahim Diaz have all shaken off their injury problems, however, and Gareth Bale is available after his domestic suspension ruled him out last weekend.
Eden Hazard – Back to full fitness, the Belgian playmaker was the stand-out transfer of the summer and these are the occasions he has been signed for.
Karim Benzema – Scored twice in the 3-2 win against Levante at the weekend to move to four goals for the season as he continues to lead the line with aplomb.
Gareth Bale – Scored twice in the draw with Villarreal before his late red card to prove that, despite all his criticism, the Welshman remains integral to this team.
Real Madrid have won two and drawn two so far this season. They opened with a 3-1 win at Celta Vigo but a 1-1 draw with Real Vallodolid and 2-2 draw with Villarreal – after Gareth Bale scored late in each half – made for a frustrating start. Karim Benzema scored twice and Casemiro added a third in a blistering start against Levante last weekend but they had to withstand a comeback before emerging 3-2 winners.
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