Champions League: PSG Want Another Crack but Dortmund Stands in the Way

Paris Saint-Germain vs Borussia Dortmund

Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League hopes will be tested to the full on Tuesday when they attempt to overturn a one goal deficit when Borussia Dortmund visit the Parc des Princes.

The teams are potentially just 100 minutes away from a showcase final at Wembley Stadium; but the Bundesliga side has a slender lead after a brilliant goal from Niclas Fullkrug gave them a 1-0 win in the opener at the Signal Iduna Park.        

After the semi-final first legs the latest Champions League 2024 betting odds are predicting a Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain final though neither won their first legs.   

Los Blancos drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich… so the alternative final could turn out to be Der Klassiker.

It’s one of the biggest weeks in the European football calendar and the Paris stadium will be packed and bouncing when the players cross the white line.

Edin Terzic’s Dortmund warmed up with a 5-1 hammering of FC Augsburg on Saturday while Luis Enrique’s PSG had a breather; and are favourites to go through to the final at a SBOTOP price of 1.69, with BVB at 2.20.

But, with greater expectations and a starting deficit, the pressure is on the Parisiens to deliver, and they will need to be at their best against a dangerous Dortmund. 

Talking Points

Paris must be ruthless in front of goal

Only five days have passed since Borussia Dortmund edged PSG out, in front of a delirious Yellow Wall, but it could so easily have been a better night for Enrique’s men had they been a little more clinical when their chances came. Both Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi hit the woodwork as the Parisiens tried to salvage something from a game in which they dominated possession and matched their hosts in terms of chances.     

At SBOTOP odds of 1.66, Mbappe is the favourite to win the Golden Boot, with FC Bayern’s Harry Kane in pursuit. Both have scored eight goals and are well clear of the pack, with the Real Madrid duo of Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior on five each. The France skipper scored twice as PSG overturned a first leg deficit in the quarter final victory over Barcelona and his team has been full of goals since; scoring 11 in three games until they were shut out by Die Schwarzgelben.

With Ousmane Dembele in support and supply coming from wonderkid Warren Zaire Emery, Mbappe will be confident of breaching the German defence on Tuesday; but he may have to be patient against a confident and well drilled BVB.  

Borussia’s rested stars are ready to go

Dortmund have been fiddling around in the Bundesliga in search of a top four finish but they put down a firm marker in their destruction of Augsburg, a result which lifted them to within three points of fourth placed Red Bull Leipzig. With two games to go time is running out in the league; and this second chance in the 2024 Champions League has arguably become Terzic’s top priority.

So the Dortmund boss rested four key players in the win over Augsburg as Fullkrug, Marcel Sabitzer, Jadon Sancho and Julian Brandt all started on the bench. 

Fullkrug’s goal in the first leg was pure class, as he brought down a long ball before smashing his shot home to give his side a first half lead. Sabitzer has made five assists in the competition and he came very close of getting on the score-sheet but his volley was brilliantly kept out by Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Sancho’s performance was one of the Champions League 2024 highlights of the semi-final first legs and Manchester United fans will be wondering what happened to the player during his stint at Old Trafford. He was the best player on the pitch in Dortmund and gave PSG full back Nuno Mendes a torrid evening with his speed of thought and movement, and he presented Fullkrug with a golden chance to double his tally but the German striker ballooned his shot over from five yards. 

Mendes will not be looking forward to another evening like that, but Sancho is, once again, looking like the player the Red Devils paid so much for in 2021.    

History

This match at the Parc des Princes will be the eighth time these two teams have met and they have, so far, won two each and drawn three.   

In terms of recent form; Paris have won three, drawn one and lost two of the last six while, after their big win against Augsburg, Borussia have won four, drawn one and lost one.     

Betting Tip

At 1.43 to win this match the Parisiens are heavily backed to make it through to their second Champions League final, while the draw is at 4.07 and Borussia at 5.03.

But Borussia will arrive in Paris full of confidence and I don’t see them giving up their lead easily. 

 

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