Newcastle-PSG is a match valid for the second day of the group stage of the Champions League and is played on Wednesday at 21:00: tv, formations, predictions.
Leading the iron group of the Champions League 2023-24 is Luis Enrique’s Psg, the only team to have won on the first day of the group stage.
The 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund a fortnight ago is a precious result, especially because in this group, nicknamed ‘iron’ already at the time of the draw, there are no so-called ‘materasso’ teams. And all of them, on paper, are capable of aspiring to qualification. The Parisians can therefore put a serious mortgage on a victory in Newcastle’s ‘temple’, St. James’ Park, which returns to host a Champions League match some 20 years after the last time. The Magpies managed to avoid defeat (0-0) at the San Siro against AC Milan in their debut match: not a brilliant performance against the Rossoneri, who repeatedly ‘pardoned’ Eddie Howe’s men by missing countless goals in front of the goal defended by Pope. A Newcastle team that was too reluctant and thought almost exclusively about defending themselves and getting out of the Milan trip unscathed. Inevitably a different attitude will be needed against the French champions: with a champion of Mbappé’s calibre in the penalty area any slightest mistake can be fatal.
Newcastle are on the up
The Bianconeri’s uncertain start, meanwhile, seems a distant memory: Newcastle haven’t lost in five games, a positive mini-series of four wins and a draw.
Mbappé
Howe has rediscovered the defensive solidity of last season, with his team not conceding a goal since De Zerbi’s Brighton match in the league on 2 September. Since then the goal has remained unbeaten for five consecutive matches, including those against AC Milan and Manchester City. Yes, Newcastle are, along with Wolverhampton, the only ones who can say they beat the Cityzens, eliminating them from the League Cup. On Saturday, meanwhile, Almiron and Isak (2-0) gave Howe another three points in the clash against Burnley, a victory which allowed the Magpies to re-enter the top ten.
On the other hand, it was not a happy weekend for Psg, who suffered yet another false step of the season. The Parisians failed to break through the wall of Clermont (0-0), slipping to fifth place. On the positive side, there was the third clean sheet in a row, important news after the defence had been shaky in the first outings. The Spanish coach in England will be without Asensio, Lee, Kimpembe and Nuno Mendes, but Newcastle’s injury list is much longer: Wilson, Joelinton, Botman, Willock and Barnes will be missing. Howe, however, will recover former Rossoneri Tonali, who will start from the 1′.
The prediction
Newcastle, along the lines of Psg, have set themselves the goal of joining the elite of European football within a few years since being bought by the rich Saudi fund Pif. There is still a long way to go, but it is definitely the right way to go. In any case, the Magpies, although not at the level of the Parisians, are a very good team that will almost certainly not disfigure in front of the French champions. We imagine it will be a well-balanced match in which the home side, spurred on by the crowd’s cheers, will be able to avoid defeat.
Newcastle v PSG matchday squad
- NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Lascelles, Schär, Burn; Longstaff, Bruno Guimarães, Tonali; Almirón, Isak, Gordon.
- PSG (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Škriniar, Hernández; Vitinha, Ugarte, Zaïre-Emery; Dembélé, Kolo Muani, Mbappé.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
