Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Madrid Predictions, Betting Odds, Picks

• PSG have spent huge money but are yet to win the biggest prize in club soccer
• Real Madrid are the most successful side in the history of the competition
• PSG will probably need a positive result at home to progress to the next round

PSG vs Real Madrid Odds

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PSG vs Real Madrid Pick

Mauricio Pochettino’s side might not necessarily qualify for the next round but they can take a first-leg lead to Madrid next month.

Back PSG to win (+100)

This type of selection is known as betting the moneyline. To find out different selection options available to you, have a look at our guide on how to bet on soccer.

Unlike most of the other teams that have reached the last 16 of this season’s Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain were not founded in the 19th century or the early part of the 1900s. The club from the French capital only came into being in 1970, which makes them considerably younger than the European Cup itself. The modern iteration of PSG was born in 2011 when Qatar Sports Investments completed its controversial takeover of the club. Since then, the club’s overriding ambition has been to win the Champions League.

They have not yet managed it. Much to the chagrin of the club’s supporters, Marseille – PSG’s arch-rivals – remain the only French side to have been crowned champions of Europe. The closest PSG came to continental glory was in 2019/20, when a team managed by Thomas Tuchel was defeated 1-0 by Bayern Munich in the final. PSG aimed to go one better last term but were instead knocked out by Manchester City in the semi-finals.

Their response to that setback was to go out and sign Lionel Messi last summer. Arguably the greatest player of all time, the Argentine has formed a star-studded frontline alongside Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, the latter of whom is expected to join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer.

But so far, the front three can be said to work better on paper than on grass. PSG have established a 13-point lead at the top of Ligue 1, but there is still a sense of a team playing below itself. If Pochettino steers the club to Champions League glory in the coming months, that will not matter. For now, though, there are plenty of question marks surrounding this team.

Real Madrid Know What It Takes To Go Far in This Tournament

If PSG, as a club and a team, are still inexperienced in this competition, Real Madrid are the exact opposite. Ever since the European Cup was founded in 1955, los Blancos have been the most successful club in the competition.

They won each of the first five editions, as a team containing the likes of Alfredo Di Stefano and Paco Gento proved their supremacy, and have since lifted the trophy on eight more occasions, giving them a grand total of 13 Champions Leagues/European Cups.

Madrid won the tournament in four seasons out of five in the mid-2010s, triumphing in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Several veterans of those successes remain. Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Casemiro, Karim Benzema, Marcelo, Gareth Bale and Dani Carvajal know what it takes to make an impression on the biggest stage of all. Carlo Ancelotti does too: he was the manager when Madrid won the competition eight years ago, and he also guided Milan to European glory on two occasions.

Experience is not everything. In recent seasons, Madrid have fallen short in the Champions League. They have been eliminated in the round of 16 in three of the last four campaigns. There is a sense that the side needs freshening up, hence reports about a splurge in the transfer market this summer. This current Madrid team is arguably past its best.

PSG Can Establish First-leg Lead – But Will It Be Enough?

Pochettino is still struggling to find the right balance at PSG. That is not an easy task given the lop-sided nature of the team, with none of Messi, Neymar or Mbappe particularly hard-working out of possession. The side can sometimes be split into two halves, with the front three remaining high up the pitch and the midfield unable to link the play from back to front.

The fact that Neymar is unlikely to start on Tuesday could actually work in PSG’s favor. The Brazilian has only just recovered from an ankle injury and is likely to be on the bench, with Angel Di Maria set to get the nod ahead of him. The Argentine could be the connection between midfield and attack that PSG often lack when Neymar, Mbappe and Messi all start together.

The home team are likely to play on the front foot and take the game to Madrid, who will rely on Vinicius Junior’s speed on the break to help them get up the pitch. Los Blancos drew 0-0 with Villarreal at the weekend and have now scored one goal or fewer in their last three outings. If Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe are able to keep Benzema under wraps, PSG can emerge victorious on Tuesday.

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