Champions League

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Attendance: 46,361

Champions League | Group Stage

Sep 18, 2019 at 8pm UK

PSG Paris Saint-Germain
3-0
Real Madrid

Di Maria (14', 33'), Meunier (91')

FT(HT: 2-0)

How Paris Saint-Germain could line up against Real Madrid

By Ben Miller | 16 September 2019

Ahead of Wednesday's Champions League fixture between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, Sports Mole looks at how the hosts could line up at the Parc des Princes.

Paris Saint-Germain start their attempt to avoid a fourth successive Champions League round-of-16 exit with a glamour fixture against 13-time winners Real Madrid on Wednesday night.

The match at the Parc des Princes is arguably the highlight of the first round of games in the group stage of the competition this season, although PSG will hope to avoid a repeat of the 2-1 defeat in this fixture that confirmed their exit from the competition in 2018.

The Ligue 1 champions are back at the top of the table after winning four of their first five games of the season, despite frequently struggling to hit top form so far.

Their last Champions League match in Paris, against Manchester United in their first knockout tie last season, saw them crash out in devastating style with an away goals defeat via a last-gasp penalty.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how PSG could line up as coach Thomas Tuchel tries to win with a squad weakened by injuries.

Out: Kylian Mbappe (thigh), Edinson Cavani (hip), Thilo Kehrer (foot), Julian Draxler (foot), Neymar (suspended)

Tuchel has a severely depleted list of forward options in the absence of Neymar, who made his first appearance of the season at the weekend but is suspended for three games in Europe, and the injured pair of Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani.

France livewire Mbappe is closing in on a comeback and has publicised his return to training but is not yet ready for the intensity of a Champions League match.

Neymar was booed by PSG fans in his first appearance of the season before scoring a late winner with an overhead kick, but he will be unable to continue that form due to an outburst in the aftermath of that defeat to United.

The temperamental Brazil striker frustratedly questioned the integrity of the referee following the painful result, leading to a three-match ban from the Champions League which he will start on Wednesday.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who has scored three times in a bright start to the season, is likely to take responsibility for leading the line.

> Click here to see how Real Madrid could line up for this fixture