Football fans worldwide eagerly anticipate the clash between two European giants, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), in the UEFA Champions League. Both teams are synonymous with attacking flair, and this encounter promises to be a thrilling spectacle for enthusiasts of the beautiful game.
Dortmund have not been quite explosive this season, but they have been able to grind a few results out. They needed a late goal from Doyen Malen to beat Cologne in their Bundesliga season opener. After that win, consecutive draws against Bochum and Heidenheim just before the international break.
Borussia Dortmund showed character and determination against Freiburg as they came from a halftime deficit to win the game 4-2. It was their last league game before their game against PSG in the UEFA Champions League season. Although that trip to Paris was not fruitful, they lost 2-0 to the French outfit, a gritty 1-0 win over Wolfsburg kept their unbeaten start to the Bundesliga season on at the time. Edin Terzić’s men backed that home win up with a route 3-1 win over Hoffenheim on the road. Back in the UCL, they drew goalless at home before returning to league action to pick up three consecutive wins, including a victory over Newcastle at St. James’ Park.
On the other hand, PSG’s Ligue One season has been topsy-turvy. Les Parisiens started the season with a goalless draw against Lorient at home. Despite the debuts given to new signings Goncalo Ramos, Kang-In Lee, Manuel Ugarte, and Marco Asensio in that game, they could not light up the atmosphere in Paris and many fans were disappointed.
As if the opening day result was insufficient, the match day two encounter against Toulouse also finished in a draw. Star forward Kylian Mbappe scored PSG’s first goal of the season shortly after coming on as a substitute for Lee. However, Luis Enrique’s side soon found some rhythm as they secured back-to-back wins over Lens at home and Lyon in Ligue 1.
A mini setback came when they were handed their first defeat of the season at the hands of Nice at home, but Kylian Mbappe kept scoring for the side. Another mini run helped PSG rack up wins against Dortmund in their UCL opener, Marseille, and a draw against Clermont. Away at Newcastle, the French champions were soundly beaten 4-1 at St. James’ Park before returning to winning ways in Ligue 1 with a 3-1 win over Rennes. That win over Rennes was then backed up with three consecutive wins – 3-0 over Strasbourg, 3-0 over AC Milan and 3-2 over Brest.
The Germans are powerful at the Signal Iduna Park as they have defeated the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, and Arsenal while maintaining an unbeaten record against Chelsea, West Ham, and Liverpool. In total, Dortmund have faced French opposition ten times at home, winning 6 of the games and have lost just once. On the other hand, PSG have been to Germany 11 times in the Champions League, and they have been beaten six times but they also have four wins to show for their efforts.
Match tickets
The match at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund kicks off on Wednesday 13th December, at 9 pm UK time and it will be shown live on TNT Sports, with coverage starting from around 8 PM.
BVB gave their qualification hopes a big boost with the results against Newcastle United and they return to their home ground, which is quite famous on UEFA Champions League nights, for the concluding match of this group.
The 81,365-capacity stadium in Dortmund will be filled up for this one. With what they have done so far, PSG fans will be present to support their team in this game.
Getting Dortmund vs PSG tickets will be challenging given the standard of the game and the country the opposition is coming from. Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expectedly sold out on each club’s channels.
Team news
Line-ups
Veteran Mats Hummels, featured in the reverse fixture in France, could miss this clash in Germany. Skipper Emre Can, who is currently injured, is expected to return and feature in midfield, while Marcel Sabitzer is expected to provide the needed support. In attack, Sebastian Haller and Malen could be paired together in this match. However, Mateu Morey and Felix Nmecha are in a race with time to be fit for this clash.
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel; Ryerson, Süle, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Can, Brandt, Sabitzer; Adeyemi, Haller, Malen.
Les Parisiens spent huge over the summer, but the results could have been more encouraging. Luis Enrique’s side has shown their best in home games in this group and will need to be at their best when they file out on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, Marco Asensio, Nuno Mendes, and Presnel Kimpembe are among those dealing with long-term injuries.
PSG: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Pereira, Skriniar, Hernandez; Zaire-Emery, Ugarte, Vitinha; Mbappe, Ramos, Dembele.
Prediction
Dortmund are past winners of this competition and they do have pedigree. They must devise an acceptable performance to beat Thomas Tuchel’s side. The Black and Yellow have been excellent at home to an extent, which should give them a confidence boost going into this game.
PSG could have been better on the road this campaign, and the host might look to exploit them. Forward Kylian Mbappe, who has delivered 12 goals from 12 games in all competitions as of the time of writing, will hope to score against the German side again.
Dortmund 1-1 PSG
