Barcelona vs PSG prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-04-15 19:00.
[p]Leading 3-2 on aggregate and hosting this quarter-final second leg, Barcelona hold all the aces as they welcome PSG. The Catalan giants are on the brink of a first UEFA Champions League (UCL) semi-final appearance since 2018/19 after coming out on top in last week’s reverse – a topsy-turvy game which saw Xavi’s side lead, then trail, before they subsequently fighting back to win. [/p]
[p]That result affords Barça the luxury of knowing a draw will be enough to seal progression, and with a positive record on home soil against French opposition (W9, D2, L2) they should be confident of advancing. But if there’s anything that will plant a seed of doubt in their minds, it’s the fact they lost their last home outing against Ligue 1 opposition 4-1 against none other than PSG, meaning this tie might be far from over despite the fact they have progressed 37 out of the 39 times they won the first leg away in UEFA competition. [/p]
[p]That’s an ominous record for PSG to overcome, but there’s some history in this fixture that makes their task seem achievable. Only one tie in UCL history has ever seen a four-goal first leg lead overturned and it was done in this H2H fixture, so the prospect of needing to win by two goals to get the job done in regulation time is arguably a realistic one for PSG, especially with players such as Kylian MbappĂ© at their disposal. [/p]
[p]Unfortunately for the Parisians, they were on the receiving end that time and lost 6-1 in the away leg when current boss Luis Enrique was in charge of Barcelona – a result which plays into a decisively average away record against Spanish opposition (W6, D3, L9). Overall then, it’s probably hard to make an argument for that loss tally not hitting double figures here, especially as PSG have gone on to lose the away leg in all seven UEFA competition ties in which they lost the first leg at home. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Raphinha scored his first-ever UCL goals in the first leg, both of which arrived after the half-hour mark, like seven of his eight Barcelona goals prior. PSG’s Mbappé scored a hat-trick in the last Barça-held H2H and he has a taste for scoring in Spain as he netted a brace away to Real Sociedad in the last 16.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: 11 of PSG’s last 12 UCL away games saw both teams score. [/p]