PSG vs. Atletico Madrid: Match Preview, Odds & Prediction

Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid, two teams who have failed to meet expectations in this season's Champions League, will meet on Wednesday at Parc des Princes.

While Atleti and PSG have never played one other in a match, their respective managers, Luis Enrique and Diego Simeone, are old rivals. Enrique won nine of their fourteen meetings with Simeone, while Simeone won three.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

While Paris Saint-Germain got off to a lucky start in their current Champions League quest with a 1-0 home victory against Girona, they have only managed to collect one point from their last two encounters.

The French champions' most recent Champions League match was a 1-1 home draw against PSV Eindhoven; they had previously lost 2-0 at Arsenal in London. With Achraf Hakimi's 55th-minute equalizer, 12 of their past 14 goals in the competition have come in the second half.

Since relocating to France, Paris has performed poorly in Europe's premier club tournament. Luis Enrique will likely urge Paris to improve before the break.

The former Barcelona manager has the worst victory percentage of any PSG manager to supervise 10 Champions League matches, with six wins out of 15 continental clashes while at Parc des Princes.

Paris, now in ninth place, three points below the top eight, and with a bye into the round of 16, cannot afford to lose again on Wednesday.

Their home record has been consistent this season, and they are now the only Ligue 1 club without a loss after Saturday's 1-0 win over Lens, which was won by an early goal from Ousmane Dembele.

With just one loss in 2024's top tier, PSG is a formidable opponent, especially at home. They have won eight of their first ten league matches, including a 3-0 victory over 10-man Marseille at Le Classique.

While PSG has played ten different European Spanish teams, Atletico Madrid had gone undefeated in four Champions League encounters against French clubs before last month's setback.

Missing opportunities and being hit many times on the break caused Diego Simeone's squad to lose 3-1 at home to Lille in the league phase, their second consecutive defeat.

Their season started with a 2-1 home win against Leipzig, but they lost their most recent match to Benfica, 4-0.

In UEFA's premier league, Los Colchoneros have only ever registered three consecutive losses once; Simeone will be looking to avoid that fate in Paris, where his techniques are being thoroughly tested.

Despite valuing safety, Atleti have struggled to find success away from Madrid in the Champions League. Last season's 3-1 victory at Feyenoord was their only triumph in ten matches (including seven losses).

The pressure is on to finish in the top 24 and clinch at least a playoff spot, mainly because they have advanced to the knockout stages in nine of their past eleven campaigns. They are now barely outside the top 24 on goal differential.

However, Atletico Madrid's La Liga results have improved; on Sunday, they defeated Las Palmas 2-0 thanks to goals from Giuliano Simeone and Alexander Sorloth, propelling the capital club to third place in the league.

Paris Saint-Germain x Atletico Madrid

Luis Enrique made two significant decisions over the weekend, reintroducing Spanish striker Marco Asensio to the starting lineup and benching first-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in favor of Matvei Safonov.

Since Ousmane Dembele's experiment with playing as a false nine halted upon his return, the latter should start on the right flank. In addition to starting in the final third, Bradley Barcola, who has scored eight goals in Ligue 1 this season, will be involved.

Along with Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles) and Atletico young product Lucas Hernandez (ACL), traditional striker Goncalo Ramos is still sidelined with an ankle injury he suffered in August.

Antoine Griezmann, Angel Correa, and Alexander Sorloth are all competing for a spot in Atleti's starting lineup, which might again include Giuliano Simeone, the manager's son.

Moreover, wealthy individuals purchase. Even though he only plays an average of 50 minutes each match in the Champions League, Julian Alvarez has contributed to 13 goals in 20 appearances. He scored one goal eight games away from home and set up another.

On Sunday, Pablo Barrios began after a brief absence due to a muscular strain; however, Robin Le Normand (head), Marcos Llorente (thigh), and Cesar Azpilicueta (calf) are all doubtful to return. Thomas Lemar is also questionable.

Our Predictions

PSG to win @ 1.75 on Sky247.ng

Atletico Madrid is going through an identity crisis and isn't always at its best when playing away from home; thus, PSG's youthful guns should come out on top in this matchup.

Atleti is obviously on the decline and is second only to Inter Milan in fielding an average lineup of players older than 30 this season.

Elevate your betting experience with SKY247 Nigeria. Join now and discover a thrilling world of sports, live events, and exclusive bonuses. Bet with confidence on your favorite teams and games.