PSG and AC Milan will look to keep pace with Newcastle United at the top of Group F when they lock horns at Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
The curtains will fall on Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League group stage on Wednesday, with a few blockbuster matches on show. One of those will see PSG hosting AC Milan at Parc des Princes, with both teams keen on getting back to winning ways in Europe.
Paris Saint-Germain would have been the favourites to top the ‘Group of Death’, even though it contained Newcastle United, AC Milan, and Borussia Dortmund. But they have not been on the money this season and lost heavily to Newcastle United after beating Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 1. As for matters at home, Luis Enrique’s men are third on the Ligue 1 table, two points behind AS Monaco.
As for AC Milan, the Italian giants have also blown hot and cold at the start of the season. They are currently second in the Serie A table after suffering their second league defeat of the campaign to Juventus this past weekend. Meanwhile, the Rossoneri played two stalemates in the first two games in the UEFA Champions League, going two points behind Group F leaders Newcastle United.
PSG and AC Milan played out two stalemates the last time they clashed in the UEFA Champions League, back in the 2000/01 season. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
PSG
🎙️ Gianluigi Donnarumma: “We are ready for this great challenge.”#PSGlive I #UCL I #PSGACMhttps://t.co/pnMGD4nMyX
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) October 24, 2023
Luis Enrique has greeted positive updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against AC Milan on Wednesday, the PSG manager will be bereft of the services of five first-team players.
Achraf Hakimi, Layvin Kurzawa, Ousmane Dembele, and Randal Kolo Muani are all available after returning from their respective suspensions. But Sergio Rico (head), Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles), Nuno Mendes (hamstring), Warren Zaire-Emery (ankle), and Marco Asensio (foot) remain on the sidelines.
Gianluigi Donnarumma is an automatic pick between the sticks, with PSG lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him. Hakimi will return to the starting eleven, joining Marquinhos, Milan Skriniar, and Lucas Hernandez in the backline.
As for the midfield unit, Manuel Ugarte will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park, with Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz supporting him. But Ruiz will also look to provide the creative impetus from the middle of the park. Finally, Goncalo Ramos will spearhead the PSG attack, with Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele completing the numbers in the attack.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Skriniar, Lucas Hernandez; Ruiz, Ugarte, Vitinha; Dembele, Ramos, Mbappe
AC Milan
Like his counterpart in the PSG dugout, Stefano Pioli has a few pressing concerns hampering his preparations ahead of the trip to Parc des Princes. But the AC Milan boss does not have any players returning and will be without five first-team stars.
Ismael Bennacer is the most notable absentee, with the Algerian midfielder recovering from a knee injury. Bennacer accompanies Marco Sportiello (calf), Mattia Caldara (ankle), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (muscle injury), and Samuel Chukwueze (thigh) on the sidelines.
Taking on Paris @OffWht style 😎#PSGACM #UCL #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/UfNbBBno9f
— AC Milan (@acmilan) October 24, 2023
Mike Maignan will feature in the goal, with AC Milan lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him. The defensive unit should feature Davide Calabria, Malick Thiaw, Fikayo Tomori, and Theo Hernandez. Calabria and Hernandez will be the creative workhorses for the visiting side.
As for the midfield unit, Rade Krunic will play the anchor role, looking to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Yunus Musah and Tijjani Reijnders will be the two box-to-box midfielders, looking to provide the forward thrust. Finally, Olivier Giroud will spearhead the AC Milan attack against PSG, with Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic being the wide attackers.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Maignan; Calabria, Thiaw, Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Musah, Krunic, Reijnders; Pulisic, Giroud, Leao
Key Stats
- PSG and AC Milan played out two draws in their last meetings in the UEFA Champions League.
- PSG have won their last three matches against Italian opponents, having only won two of their previous 20 (D9 L9). On the other hand, AC Milan have only lost three of their 16 Champions League meetings with French outfits (W8 D5).
- PSG have only lost one of their last 34 home games at this stage of the competition (W27 D6), suffering a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United in October 2020.
- Only Manchester City (71.8%) have averaged a higher possession share than PSG (70.5%) in the Champions League this season, with Achraf Hakimi (186), Milan Skriniar (178), and Marquinhos (174) all ranking among the top 10 players for open-play passes heading into Matchday 3.
- Since the start of 2017-18, Kylian Mbappe has had 46 goal involvements in the UEFA Champions League group stage (26 goals, 20 assists) – more than any other player.
Player to Watch
Ousmane Dembele
With the match featuring many well-known quantities, picking one player for this section is tricky. But we have gone with Ousmane Dembele, who has been searching for an inspiration to resurrect his stuttering career.
The Frenchman has failed to set the stage alight since joining PSG from Barcelona. And recent reports have claimed that he might leave PSG only a few months after arriving at Parc des Princes.
Several high-profile clubs are keen on securing Dembele’s services at the earliest possible opportunity. But Dembele will not be ready to throw in the towel yet. And the game against AC Milan will give him the chance to stamp his authority. Expect a game-changing display by the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner.
Prediction
PSG 2-1 AC Milan
Neither PSG nor AC Milan’s performances have been convincing enough this season. But the Ligue 1 champions come into this match on the back of one of their best displays this term. As for AC Milan, Stefano Pioli needs his attackers to wake up and smell the coffee.
PSG will dominate the proceedings, with Kylian Mbappe coming to the party. Eventually, they should find the back of the net twice to nearly seal all three points. But AC Milan will not go down without a fight, pulling one goal back to make matters interesting. Unfortunately for Stefano Pioli and his charges, it won’t be enough to take something from the game.
