It just had to be him. With a few seconds to go, Mbappe received a pass from Neymar and beat his man before slotting the ball between Courtois’s legs, sending the home crowd into raptures.
That had been the game’s theme all evening. With better decision-making, PSG could have won the tie before the second leg, but as things stand, Real Madrid still have a chance.
While Madrid’s team is not as dynamic as PSG’s, it boasts a wealth of experience that PSG tried to get when they signed Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi to mixed results so far.
Serial Champions League winners, Madrid have been here several times in the last decade and on almost every occasion, they fought back to eventually qualify.
If they continue to play like they did in the first leg however, they will be eliminated prematurely from the UCL this season.
To prevent that, there are rumors that Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez has taken the drastic step of calling up controversial fan group Ultra sur to lend their vociferous support to the Lilywhites.
Who qualifies and heads to the next round? Read on for our H2H analysis, form guide, team news and match prediction!
Real Madrid vs Paris Saint Germain Head-to-Head Record
This fixture has now been played 10 times. In that period, the home side has the advantage with 5 wins while PSG have 3 wins. The fixture has also ended in a draw twice.
After the first leg win, both teams still have an identical record in their last five H2H fixtures with two wins each and one draw.
Both sides are also still in first place in their respective leagues.
Form Guide
Real Madrid have won three of their last five games with one draw and a solitary loss to PSG. (Form: W-W-W-L-D)
In that same period, PSG have won three games and lost twice. (Form: L-W-L-W-W)
Real Madrid vs Paris Saint Germain Team News
Toni Kroos is the big absence for this game, he’s been injured and is unlikely to be fit in time for the game.
If Zidane needs a different option, he can bring in the tireless running of Federico Valverde. The Uruguayan midfielder is back in training and available for selection again and can fill the vital role of tracking Neymar’s runs while providing some forward thrust with his attacking runs.
Karim Benzema’s rediscovery of his old form is also a boost to Madrid’s chances. It will be a delightful spectacle to see him and his French strike partner, Mbappe torment the opposing defence.
PSG will welcome Mbappe back to the starting XI after the forward missed their last Ligue 1 fixture through suspension. Sergio Ramos will miss the game against his former team while Achraf Hakimi, Ander Herrera and Leandro Paredes all face a battle to be fit in time for the game.
Real Madrid vs Paris Saint Germain Prediction
This game has several subtexts, but the most important is the silent battle that both clubs have begun to secure Kylian Mbappe’s services.
As the reign of the extraordinary duo, Ronaldo and Messi, comes to an end, the French superstar is the most likely successor to their crown, and whoever employs him already has a significant advantage over the other European elites.
As a result, the anticipation for this game is high. PSG has established themselves as a European powerhouse, even luring Neymar away from Barcelona. Losing Mbappe to Real Madrid would be a setback for the club’s Champions League ambitions as well as its reputation.
For this reason, the French giants have begun a campaign to convince Mbappe to stay by bringing in the president of France to convince the forward as well as offering him over £200 million for a 2-year contract.
Whoever wins tonight will have a huge advantage to influence Mbappe with. If the away team wins and goes on to lift the Champions League Trophy this year, they’ll have a better chance at persuading him to sign a new contract with them. If Real Madrid wins, convincing Mbappe to join them will become much easier.
This is a must-see game, and we believe it will end in a high-scoring draw with PSG, allowing them to advance to the next round on aggregate.
With 40 G+A against Madrid, the home team have been stung by Lionel Messi several times and will be wary of the Argentine playmaker. He has already scored 5 goals in 6 UCL games this season and a bet on him to score at some point could turn out to be easy money.
Our picks: 2-2 draw, PSG qualifies on aggregate. Messi to score at any time.
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