This tie is perfectly poised following the first leg in North Rhine-Westphalia, but who will be celebrating a place in the final following this clash in the French capital?
Paris Saint-Germain vs Borussia Dortmund match preview
Most regarded Borussia Dortmund as massive underdogs before a ball was kicked in this semi-final but, following Wednesday’s tie at Westfalenstadion, it is they who boast the advantage, even if only a slender one.
Roared on by a crowd of over 81,000 at one of football’s iconic venues, the first leg six nights ago was an engrossing affair, that somehow only produced a solitary goal.
The often maligned target man Niclas Füllkrug would prove to be the hero, bursting in-behind before firing the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma to score the night’s only goal towards the end of the first half.
Both sides squandered clear-cut chances, with PSG going closest when both Kylian Mbappé and then Achraf Hakimi thwacked adjacent uprights mere seconds apart.
Julian Brandt could have made it two right at the death, denied by Donnarumma, but it is die Schwarzgelben who are ahead at the half-way mark of the tie; will this still be the case come the conclusion of play?
Borussia Dortmund have really upset the odds to be here, first topping the group of death, one that featured PSG, before ousting PSV Eindhoven and Atlético Madrid in the knockouts, the latter a memorable comeback.
So, this is only their fifth appearance in the semi-finals of this competition, hoisting aloft the trophy in 1997, before being beaten at Wembley by Bayern Munich the last time they featured at this stage in 2013.
If Edin Terzić's team repeat the feat of Jürgen Klopp’s side 11 years ago it would be a remarkable achievement, considering Dortmund are fifth in the Bundesliga, despite hammering Augsburg 5-1 at the weekend.
Thus, most expect Paris Saint-Germain to reach the final for just the second time in their history, despite that narrow deficit in Germany.
Luis Enrique’s side swatted aside Real Sociedad in the round of 16, before producing a remontada of their own against Barcelona in the quarters, 4-2 down on aggregate at one stage, only to then score four unanswered goals at Montjuïc, albeit against ten-men.
Domestically, having already won Ligue 1 and the Trophée des Champions, with a Coupe de France Final against Lyon to come, les Rouges-et-Bleus could complete a fifth domestic clean-sweep in ten seasons.
Nevertheless, continental success continues to be PSG’s primary focus, with this their first Champions League semi-final played in front of supporters for 29 years, ousted by Fabio Capello’s AC Milan back then.
So, a huge night awaits at Parc des Princes, with les Parisiens confident of making home advantage count.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Borussia Dortmund Tips
Back in matchday one of the group phase, Paris Saint-Germain beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at home, the same scoreline by which les Rouges-et-Bleus eliminated die Schwarzgelben four years ago.
PSG have won three of their five Champions League home games this season, claiming victory in nine of their last 13 overall, so we are backing the French champions to get the job done in 90 minutes.
This isn’t particularly bold, but we’re backing Kylian Mbappé to add to the eight goals he’s scored in the Champions League this season, making him the competition’s joint-top scorer, alongside Harry Kane.
In his Champions League career, Mbappé has scored 48 times, only eight men have more, four of which have come against Borussia Dortmund, including a brace at Westfalenstadion as a teenager seven years ago while still with Monaco, and we’re backing him to add to his tally.
In general, we’re forecasting a high-scoring match, despite the fact the first leg ended 1-0, because another end-to-end, open game seems likely.
Both teams have scored in six of Dortmund’s last seven fixtures, matches that have produced 26 goals, with both teams scoring in 57% of die Schwarzgelben’s Bundesliga and Champions League matches this season.
As for Paris Saint-Germain, both teams have scored in seven of their last ten European fixtures, with these games producing 31 goals.
Les Rouges-et-Bleus’ last 37 Champions League knockout phase fixtures have witnessed 113 goals, an average of 3.05 goals per game, hence why we’re expecting another goal-fest.
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