Edin Terzić’s team holds the upper hand as they head to Paris, but can Luis Enrique’s squad mount a comeback? We preview Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League semi-final clash between PSG and Borussia Dortmund.
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PSG vs Dortmund: Match Preview
Luis Enrique understands the weight of expectations as Qatar Sports Investment aims for a Paris Saint-Germain victory in this competition. While PSG clinched the Ligue 1 title, their UEFA Champions League aspirations hang in the balance ahead of the second-leg encounter against Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
The Parc des Princes sets the stage for an intriguing European showdown as Dortmund travels to Paris with a slim 1-0 lead from the initial clash at Signal Iduna Park. Niclas Füllkrug’s powerful first-half strike remains the sole difference between the two teams, leaving PSG in familiar territory of needing to recover lost ground.
After their remarkable 6-4 comeback win on aggregate against Barcelona in the previous round, PSG could script history by becoming the first team to overcome first-leg deficits in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals and still advance to the final.
The narrative leading into Tuesday could have been vastly different, with Kylian Mbappé and Achraf Hakimi both thwarted by the woodwork in the initial encounter. PSG, in fact, registered 14 shots in the first leg against Dortmund, their highest tally without finding the net in a Champions League match since their 2020-21 semi-final second leg against Manchester City (14 shots, resulting in a 2-0 defeat).
Mbappé is poised to seize the spotlight once again on the grand stage of European football. The prolific French forward has left an indelible mark, being directly involved in an impressive 32 goals across 31 home games he’s commenced in the Champions League, comprising 21 goals and 11 assists.
There’s a singular instance where Mbappé faltered to find the net in both legs of a knockout stage encounter in the tournament, and that was against perennial contenders Real Madrid in the 2017-18 round of 16.
In addition to his scoring prowess, Mbappé has emerged as a key creator under pressure this season in the Champions League, having crafted the most chances (23) among all players, albeit none of those opportunities have been converted by his PSG teammates. Anticipated to feature centrally once more, flanked by Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele in Luis Enrique’s star-studded lineup, Mbappé will undoubtedly be a focal point of PSG’s attacking endeavors.
Nonetheless, Edin Terzić’s Dortmund squad boasts its own array of talents, notably midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, who leads the charts with the most assists under pressure (5) in the competition this term. Despite his absence on the scoresheet, Jadon Sancho caught the eye in the previous encounter against PSG, showcasing his dribbling prowess with an impressive 13 successful dribbles – the highest recorded by a player in a knockout stage fixture in the Champions League since Neymar’s 15 for PSG against Atalanta in August 2020.
In the buildup to this crucial fixture, Manchester United loanee Sancho has distinguished himself by completing the most dribbles (22) among all players in the knockout stages of UEFA’s premier club tournament this season. PSG full-back Nuno Mendes may still be haunted by memories from last Wednesday night’s encounter.
Dortmund’s preparations for the upcoming clash couldn’t have been much better, as evidenced by their commanding 5-1 victory over Augsburg on Saturday. Youssoufa Moukoko (2), Donyell Malen, Marco Reus, and Felix Nmecha all found the target at Signal Iduna Park. Although Karim Adeyemi sustained a knock during that win, he is expected to recover in time. Additionally, Sébastien Haller and Julian Ryerson are likely to overcome fitness concerns to make their appearances.
However, Dortmund will have to contend with the absence of Ramy Bensebaïni and Julien Duranville. On the PSG side, Lucas Hernández joins the list of long-term absentees, including Presnel Kimpembe, Layvin Kurzawa, and Sergio Rico, following his concerning ACL injury in the first leg.
With Hernández unavailable, Beraldo is expected to fill the void as PSG endeavors to secure a spot in the European Cup/Champions League final for only the second time, previously achieving the feat in 2019-20. Meanwhile, Dortmund aims for their third final appearance in club history, following the 1996-97 and 2012-13 campaigns, with the latter coinciding with the last time the final of this competition was held at Wembley Stadium.
PSG vs Dortmund: Head-to-head
In their upcoming clash, PSG and Borussia Dortmund will face off for the eighth time in European competition, with both teams having secured two victories each so far, along with three draws.
Notably, all four wins in this fixture have been claimed by the home team, a statistic that may buoy Luis Enrique’s optimism ahead of this crucial semi-final encounter.
Conversely, Terzić’s Dortmund may harbor concerns, especially considering their track record against PSG on the road in European competitions. To date, Dortmund has faced PSG away from home on three occasions, failing to secure a victory (D1 L2) or even score a goal during those encounters.
In the current campaign’s group stage, the Bundesliga outfit suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the French side in September. Kylian Mbappé’s penalty and a goal from Achraf Hakimi sealed the victory for PSG, with Dortmund managing just one shot on target throughout the match.
PSG vs Dortmund: Recent Form
Terzić faces a daunting task in thwarting PSG’s attacking prowess on Tuesday, especially considering that the Parisians have only been held scoreless in two of their last 38 home games in the Champions League, netting a staggering 93 goals during this run.
Interestingly, it was Dortmund’s Bundesliga counterparts, Bayern Munich, who managed to keep clean sheets on both occasions when PSG failed to score at home (1-0 defeats in February 2023 and April 2021). Despite their formidable home record, PSG’s performances in this season’s competition have left much to be desired.
In contrast, Luis Enrique’s team has often found themselves trailing on the scoreboard for longer durations (339 minutes) than they’ve held the lead (291 minutes) in the Champions League this campaign. Additionally, PSG has conceded the opening goal in each of their last three matches in the competition, marking their longest such streak since April 2015 (4 consecutive games).
However, Dortmund has experienced some stroke of luck in their favor this season as well. Terzić’s squad boasts the largest disparity between goals conceded and expected goals against in this season’s tournament (+10.7, with nine goals conceded from an expected 19.7 xG against).
Moreover, Dortmund has been involved in the only two instances in this campaign where a team hit the woodwork twice and failed to score in a game, with PSG in the first leg and Newcastle in October 2023. Terzić will undoubtedly hope that this streak of fortuitous outcomes continues to work in their favor against PSG.
PSG vs Dortmund: Team News and Predicted Line-up
PSG: Team News
Paris Saint-Germain faces a setback ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Borussia Dortmund. The Ligue 1 champions are already trailing following a 1-0 defeat in Germany last week and have now lost key defender Lucas Hernandez to injury. Hernandez sustained an ACL tear in his left knee during the first leg, ruling him out not only for the upcoming clash but also for the European Championship with France.
In Hernandez’s absence, January signing Lucas Beraldo is expected to step into the PSG backline. Manager Luis Enrique may consider shaking up the attacking options, with Lee Kang-in, Goncalo Ramos, or Randal Kolo Muani potentially featuring after several missed chances in the previous encounter.
PSG Predicted Starting XI:
- Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma
- Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos (C), Beraldo, Nuno Mendes
- Midfielders: Zaïre-Emery, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha
- Forwards: Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Barcola
Injured: Hernandez, Rico, Kurzawa
Dortmund: Team News
On the other hand, Dortmund is unlikely to make significant changes to last week’s victorious lineup. Sebastian Haller, previously thought to be out for the season, has returned to team training and could be available on the bench.
Dortmund Predicted Starting XI:
- Goalkeeper: Gregor Kobel
- Defenders: Ryerson, Mats Hummels, Niklas Schlotterbeck, Ian Maatsen
- Midfielders: Marcel Sabitzer, Julian Brandt, Emre Can (C)
- Forwards: Jadon Sancho, Karim Adeyemi, Niclas Füllkrug
Injuries: Duranville, Bensebaini
PSG vs Dortmund: Match Prediction
Our prediction leans heavily towards a second-leg victory for PSG. A draw would see Dortmund progress into the final, making such an outcome less likely, while an away win for Dortmund is even less probable.
PSG vs Dortmund: UCL Squads For The Semi-finals
Paris Saint-Germain UEFA Champions League Squad
- Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Alexandre Letellier, Arnau Tenas, Gianluigi Donnarumma
- Defenders: Achraf Hakimi, Presnel Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Lucas Hernández, Nuno Mendes, Nordi Mukiele, Lucas Beraldo, Milan Skriniar
- Midfielders: Manuel Ugarte, Fabián Ruiz, Danilo, Vitinha, Lee Kang-in, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Ethan Mbappé
- Forwards: Senny Mayulu, Kylian Mbappé, Gonçalo Ramos, Ousmane Dembélé, Marco Asensio, Randal Kolo Muani, Bradley Barcola.
Head Coach: Luis Enrique
Borussia Dortmund UEFA Champions League Squad
- Goalkeepers: Gregor Kobel, Alexander Meyer, Silas Ostrzinski, Marcel Lotka
- Defenders: Nico Schlotterbeck, Ramy Bensebaini, Mats Hummels, Emre Can, Niklas Süle, Julian Ryerson, Ian Maatsen, Lion Semic, Özcan
- Midfielders: Jadon Sancho, Felix Nmecha, Marco Reus, Julien Duranville, Marius Wolf, Julian Brandt, Marcel Sabitzer
- Forwards: Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Sebastien Haller, Niclas Füllkrug, Youssoufa Moukoko, Donyell Malen, Karim Adeyemi
Head Coach: Edin Terzić
When and Where to Watch the Match LIVE in India?
The UEFA Champions League 2023-24 match between PSG and Borussia Dortmund will be broadcast live in India on Sony Sports Network. The match is scheduled on Wednesday, 8 May 2024 at 12:30 AM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Viewers in India can watch the match live from Pard des Princes. Additionally, for those who prefer online streaming, the match will be available for live streaming on the SonyLIV App.
