With all the attention on Manchester City’s blockbuster
clash with Barcelona, Paris St Germain’s much-vaunted Champions League project
has gone unnoticed with the French Ligue 1 low on the list of national leagues
and Europe’s main lights taking the attention ahead of the knockouts but
there’s every reason to think that PSG can play a big part in the knockout
stages.
“Wet behind the ears” last season, PSG went to Barcelona
after a 2-2 draw in Paris and came away with huge credit after pushing a
Catalan XV shorn of Messi for 70 minuites before Pedro rescued them. Admittedly
Barcelona weren’t at their peak for any of last season with issues on and off
the pitch, but like many sides they have immense potential to improve for their
first season proper in the Champions League and are more than capable of
winning at Bayer Leverkusen to kickstar their Champions League push.
Sami Hypia’s side have put together an impressive set of
results in Germany to currently lie second in the Bundesliga but their recent slump
in form is a worry given their relative vulnerability in Europe. Manchester
United have escaped their troubles this season in Europe but a 9-0 aggregate
loss in the group stages was abysmal and while they trashed a below par
Shakthar they were hard at work against Real Sociedad and need more than
they’ve been able to muster when nocked out of the DFB Pokal in midweek by second
division Kaiserslautern and then beaten 2-1 by Schalke on Saturday.
PSG have struggled away from home in some cases in France
but were unlucky not to put the French title race even further into their own
control when being held 1-1 at Monaco two weekends back but their outright quality should give them
nan advantage with the on fire Zatlan Ibrahimovic leading the line and Lavezzi
and Pastore to either side of him in a fearsome attacking trio.
Advice
3 pts Paris St Germain (13/10 Bet365)
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