Real Sociedad vs PSG prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-03-04 20:00.
Qualification to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarter-finals appears a tall order for Real Sociedad, who fell to a 2-0 defeat in the first leg against Paris Saint-Germain, which was the Spaniards first knockout game in this competition for 20 years. Compounding that doubt is the fact that Sociedad won just once since the first encounter (W1, L3), tumbling out of the Copa del Rey and losing their way in La Liga’s top-six race as a result.
Sociedad’s rather stale historical record against French opponents won’t subdue any worries (W2, D1, L4) – a run of games that includes an elimination against Lyon in the first season the round of 16 was introduced (2003/04) which also marked Sociedad’s last knockout appearance. Reversing the deficit may prove too much, but the hosts should at least give a solid account of themselves after posting 13 unbeaten games across their last 19 in home European action (W6, D7, L6).
The first leg win was only PSG’s fifth success across the last 16 encounters with Spanish opponents (W5, D3, L8), providing much needed confidence as they look to improve on their rotten record across the last five knockout away games against such sides (W1, L4). An improvement here shouldn’t surprise many as the runaway Ligue 1 leaders enter this clash having conceded just once across their last four competitive outings.
Another clean sheet will guarantee progression, an outcome which will be a huge relief to Parisian fans after they were knocked out at this stage in five of their last seven UCL campaigns. That’s not the only thing that could sow seeds of doubt, as the last two times that PSG won a home first leg and were eliminated came in trips to Spain, albeit against Real Madrid and Barcelona, with the former evaporating a 4-0 first leg deficit!
Players to watch: Shades of the 2021 UEFA Nations League final can be seen here as Spain’s first scorer on that day, Mikel Oyarzabal, should be in line for a start given four of his last six club goals came in cup competitions. It was PSG’s Kylian Mbappé who scored the eventual winner for France back in 2021, but four of his last five scoring club appearances saw him net first.
Hot streak: Sociedad are winless in seven consecutive competitive home games (D4, L3), failing to get on the scoresheet in four.