Last month, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid played in their first Champions League round of 16, with PSG emerging victorious. Round two takes place tomorrow, but this time it will be in the Spanish capital. Les Parisiens have 1-0 aggregate lead. However, since the away-goals rule is no longer in effect, Real Madrid is not under as much pressure.
For PSG, a win is all they need to advance. The same goes for Real Madrid, but in their case, a 1-0 lead will force this game into extra time since the aggregate score would be a 1-1 deadlock. If Los Blancos can win 2-0, they would advance to the final eight. Both clubs need to be ready to go, as neither can afford any mistakes.
Check out all of PTST’s soccer coverage right here.
Who Has the Edge?
Each team is at a disadvantage. Kylian Mbappé is currently doubtful, due to a foot injury he picked up during training yesterday. Real Madrid will be without midfielder Casemiro and defender Ferland Mendy due to suspension. Midfielder Toni Kroos‘ status for this game is also unclear, as Kroos sustained an injury last week.
Since the first encounter, PSG has lost two games in Ligue 1 play, including an embarrassing 3-1 loss to FC Nantes just days after beating Real Madrid. Les Parisiens have a bad habit of becoming arrogant after big wins and it proves to be costly. However, it’s a lesson they can’t seem to learn.
Real Madrid has won three consecutive La Liga matches since their loss to PSG. Los Blancos scored eight goals and conceded just one. Karim Benzema looks to be back to being 100 percent. The team is showing good chemistry and is playing with a winning mentality. If they can win effectively and eliminate PSG, they pass the test and move on. If Kroos is unable to go, 19-year-old midfielder Eduardo Camavinga has a chance to prove himself in a Champions League knockout game. A brilliant performance will earn him significant playing time in the future.
The edge has to go to Real Madrid. They regrouped after the loss in the first leg and despite going into the second leg without three key players, and look confident and focused. For PSG, even without Mbappé, there’s no excuse for them to not win, with Neymar and Lionel Messi being available. However, since PSG has picked up two embarrassing losses in the past three weeks, they cannot be favored.
Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @primetimesportstalk
Follow Alex Al-Kazzaz on Twitter @BearManOfTX
Main Image Credit:
Embed from Getty Images
