PSV vs Arsenal prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2025-03-03 20:00.
[p]Losing ground in the Eredivisie title race with a fourth consecutive winless game over the weekend (D3, L1), PSV must swiftly turn their attention to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) round of 16 after eliminating Juventus in the play-off round. Now facing Arsenal for a third successive season, the Eindhoveners curiously haven’t progressed further than the last 16 in the UCL since knocking the Gunners out over two legs back in 2006/07. [/p]
[p]Coming from behind to beat Liverpool 3-2 in Eindhoven earlier this season, PSV won’t be intimidated by facing English opposition, as they boast a respectable historic home record against such clubs (W8, D7, L6). Inspiring further confidence will be PSV’s unbeaten return in each of their last nine UCL home games in the competition proper (W5, D4), with their last such defeat coming in 2018/19. [/p]
[p]One of those games was a 1-1 draw in which Arsenal scored first, although the London outfit will do well to take the lead here after failing to score in three of their last four competitive outings (W1, D1, L2). Those results have left Arsenal 13 points adrift in second place in the Premier League and out of the EFL Cup, meaning their only realistic chance of silverware is now in this competition.[/p]
[p]The round of 16 will likely strike fear into some fans, who have watched their side crash out at this stage in seven of the last eight UCL campaigns. Despite their consistent early eliminations, Arsenal are on the cusp of posting five-straight UCL proper wins for the first time since reaching the final in 2005/06. Achieving that is by no means guaranteed as the Gunners travel here with a meagre 30% historic win rate away to Dutch sides (W3, D4, L3). [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Luuk De Jong could become just the fifth Dutch player to reach 50 UCL appearances in this game – the PSV man scored and assisted against Arsenal in his only home H2H back in 2022/23. Ethan Nwaneri may become just the third English player to start a UCL knockout game under the age of 18 after Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden, both of whom have since gone on to win the competition.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Arsenal have failed to keep a clean sheet in 13 of their last 14 UCL away games (W5, D3, L6). [/p]
[p][i]Written by Matthew Billon[/i][/p]