Borussia Dortmund vs PSG-After bowing out in the Champions League group stage, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain renew contacts for the 1st leg of a riveting semi-final showdown at the Westfalenstadion on Wednesday night.
Both teams came from behind in their quarter-finals against Spanish opponents to punch their ticket to the last four, with BVB edging out Atletico Madrid and PSG to come out on top against Barcelona.
Borussia Dortmund reached their first Champions League semi-final since reaching the showpiece event under Jurgen Klopp in 2012-13 by beating Atletico Madrid 5-4 in the quarter-finals, before winning a thrilling 4-2 second leg at home. Soil a fortnight ago
Borussia Dortmund vs PSG -The build-up to their last-four clash with PSG has not gone to plan, however, as they have failed to win their last two Bundesliga matches, drawing 1-1 with champions Bayer Leverkusen after conceding a 97th-minute equalizer. -1 loss at RB Leipzig last weekend.
Despite taking an early lead through Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho, who became the top scorer in Bundesliga history (40 goals), Dortmund trailed 2-1 at half-time when Mohamed Simakan and Christoph Baumgartner sealed victory for Leipzig. In the second half, significantly destroying BVB’s hopes of securing a top-four finish (Borussia Dortmund vs PSG).
Edin Terjic’s side are fifth in the table and five points behind fourth-placed Leipzig with just three football games remaining, although fifth place could be enough to secure a place in next season’s newly expanded Champions League as Germany are currently ranked second best behind Italy.
Dortmund can automatically qualify for the 2024-25 Champions League if they go all the way in this season’s competition, replicating the heroics of the famous squad of 1996-97, although they arguably enter the last four as underdogs alongside PSG and Bayern Munich or Real. Madrid stands in their way.
BVB have won just one of their six previous meetings with PSG – a 2-1 first-leg home win in the 2019-20 Champions League round-of-16 – but their home record bodes well ahead of Wednesday’s contest as they remain unbeaten. They have won six of their last 10 Champions League matches at the Westfalenstadion, scoring 19 goals in the process.
PSG moved a step closer to winning their first ever Champions League trophy after beating five-time winners Barcelona 6-4 on aggregate in an action-packed quarter-final tie, advancing to their third semi-final in five seasons.
The French giants lost the first leg 3-2 at home and then trailed 1-0 against Spain, but Barca’s Ronald Araujo dismissal turned the tide for PSG, Kylian Mbappe (2), Vitinha. And Ousmane Dembele – against his former club – all scored to help Luis Enrique’s men secure a 4-1 victory.
Two more 4-1 wins over Lyon and Lorient in Ligue 1 have followed for PSG, before they were forced to a 3-3 draw against Le Hervé last weekend, with Goncalo Ramos scoring a dramatic 95th-minute equaliser. Nevertheless, Les Parisiens were crowned champions for the 12th time on Sunday without kicking a ball after second-placed Monaco lost at Lyon.
Borussia Dortmund vs PSG-Enrique’s men are understandably in high spirits as they prepare for Wednesday’s trip to Germany to face Dortmund and will be confident of success in the 1st leg of their Champions League tie as they are unbeaten in their last 15 away games in all competitions (W12 D3) in the group stage almost six months ago. Lost 2-1 to AC Milan.
PSG finished second behind Dortmund in Group F of this season’s Champions League, despite claiming four points from their two encounters with the Bundesliga side. Les Parisiens drew 1-1 in their most recent meeting at the Westfalenstadion in December and have never beaten BVB in their three previous trips to Germany.
Borussia Dortmund vs PSG-Team News
Borussia Dortmund will be without injured duo Rami Bensebini (knee) and Sebastian Haller (ankle), while Ian Matsen (muscle), Daniel Mallen (thigh) and Mats Hummels (shin) will be assessed before kickoff, with the latter forced off. Borussia Dortmund vs PSG-With his problems against Leipzig early in the second half.
Emre Can, along with Matsen, served a domestic suspension last weekend, but they are both available for selection on Wednesday, and the former is in contention to replace Salih Ozcan or Felix Nmecha in central midfield.
Nicklas Fulkrug, who has scored a team-high 14 goals in all competitions this term, is set to lead the line and will be looking to find the net for his third consecutive home game, while Sancho and Karim Adeyemi are both expected to provide support on the flanks.
As for Paris Saint-Germain, they still have to cope without Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles), Levin Kurzawa (back), sergio Rico (head) as they recover from injuries.
Borussia Dortmund vs PSG -Enrique opted to rest Gianluigi Donnarumma, Nuno Mendes, Lucas Hernandez and Fabian Ruiz last weekend, but they are all in contention to feature on Wednesday, with the former expected to start between the sticks at the expense of Keylor Navas.
Mbappe is also back in the team after starting as a substitute last time out. The striker has scored eight of his 43 goals in the Champions League this season and could join Dembele and Bradley Barkola in attack.
Borussia Dortmund vs PSG:
Borussia Dortmund Probable Starting Lineup:
Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Sabitzer, Can; Adeyemi, Brandt, Sancho; Fulkrug
Paris Saint-Germain Probable Starting Lineup:
Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Danilo, Hernandez; Vitinha, Zaire-Emery; Dembele, Asensio, Barkola; Mbappe
We say: Borussia Dortmund 1-2 PSG
Borussia Dortmund vs PSG-An entertaining contest between the two attack-minded teams could be on the cards on Wednesday and both sides have reason to be hopeful of securing first-leg advantage, although PSG will be considered slight favourites.
The French giants have won their last five away games in all competitions, scoring 18 goals in the process, and with star striker Mbappe fresh and several first-team players set to return to the starting lineup, Borussia Dortmund vs PSG -we believe Enrique’s men can do enough to claim a narrow victory.