PSG vs Juventus ⚽️ 🏆

Preview and Predictions

Despite their storied European histories, PSG and Juventus have never met in a competitive fixture. That changes on Tuesday night when Juventus visit the Parc des Princes for the first match in their group H Champions League fixture.

Both teams represent the best of their domestic leagues. Juventus have won the Serie A title more times than any other club, winning 36 titles. The team also holds the record for winning the most consecutive titles in Serie A, winning 9 consecutive titles between 2011 and 2020.

PSG also dominate their domestic league, they hold the record for the most Ligue 1 titles, having won the championship 10 times.

However, PSG and Juventus have had Champions League success elude them for years. Juventus have won the title only once, tasting victory 26 years ago. They also hold the unenviable record of the team with the most final losses, losing the final 7 times. PSG on the other hand have never lifted the trophy, their best performance came 2 years ago when they lost in the finals.

This Champions League campaign represents another attempt for PSG or Juventus to capture a title that has been conspicuously missing from their trophy cabinets.

Head to Head

PSG have never played against Juventus in the Champions league. The most recent meeting between them was 5 years ago when they played in the International Champions Cup. Juventus won that match 3-2.

Form Guide

PSG

PSG’s domestic form has been as imperious as ever, they are top of the Ligue 1 standings. In 5 matches played, they have only dropped points once, this came in a 1-1 draw against Monaco. Coming into this match they have won their last two matches by a 3-goal margin.

(W-W-D-W-W) 

Juventus

Massimiliano Allegri needs to get his team together for what would be a true test against PSG. While a group fixture, getting a result against PSG could put them in a good position for winning the group. Dropping points against Fiorentina on Saturday saw Juventus slip down to 5th place in the Serie A standings.

While they are yet to lose in the Serie A this season, they have also won by narrow margins, scoring more than a goal only twice this season.

(W-D-D-W-D) 

Team News 

PSG 

PSG not only have perhaps the best attacking talent in European football, they have also recruited lately to strengthen the midfield. This off-season they acquired Renato Sanches and Carlos Soler to further bolster a squad full of talent.

Christophe Galtier has found an effective strategy that integrates Mbappe, Neymar and Messi into the team and over the weekend gave Neymar a rest with the Brazilian playing less than 30 minutes of the game.

Keylor Navas, Julian Draxler and Timothée Pembélé are unavailable for the match due to injury.

Potential PSG starting XI: Donnarumma; Ramos, Marquinhos, Kimpembe; Hakimi, Sanches, Verratti, Mendes; Messi; Mbappé, Neymar

(3-4-1-2) 

Juventus

 Juventus need goals and have continued to struggle despite having this season’s top goal scorer Dusan Vlahovic in the team. They have since added Arkadiusz Milik to provide more firepower and he delivered last weekend against Fiorentina.

Despite this, the team’s biggest shortcoming this season has been a lack of production on the attacking side. In the 5 Serie A matches played this season, Juventus have only scored 8 times, a mark their opponents surpassed in just two matches.

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is injured which means Mattia Perin would likely start in goal.

Potential Juventus starting XI: Perin, Bremer, Danilo, Cuadrado, McKennie, Locatelli, Paredes, Di Maria, Vlahovic, Kostic

(4-3-3) 

Tactical Battle

Juventus come up against a PSG side that has been free-scoring with a reputation for producing limp attacking performances. Against Fiorentina last weekend, they failed to hit a shot on target in the entire second half of the match.

They would need to up that ante if they hope to leave France with at least a point. However, Massimiliano Allegri has stuck to his rather conservative playing style which might have gotten him results in the Serie A, but will be too timid for the Champions League where teams are more daring in attack.

For Christophe Galtier’s side, Leo Messi has been involved in everything good across the pitch. Any hope of stultifying the Paris attack would come from limiting his touches in the attacking third, a rather tall ask for the Juventus midfield.

Prediction

At the moment, the PSG team possesses much more talent across the pitch than Juventus. The depth in the squad means they would start some rested key players and have an attacking trio playing sensational football at the moment. This looks like a PSG win

Bet on

PSG win at  @ 1.37

Over 2.5  goals scored  @ 1.50