Our prediction for this Champions League match:
Maccabi Haifa and PSG face each other in a David-vs-Goliath clash at Sammy Ofer Stadium. The Israelis failed to spoil Benfica’s party at Estadio da Luz, and they face yet another uphill task against the star-studded Parisians. Niger international Ali Mohamed, who limped off with injury in the Group H opener, remains in the recovery room for the home side.
Christophe Galtier’s troops, on the other hand, made a flying start to the season, with the team eyeing their fifth consecutive win in all competitions. As previously mentioned, David faces Goliath in Haifa, and we predict that the Ligue 1 champions will give fans yet another reason for celebration on Wednesday evening. There are no fresh injury worries in the away side ahead of the trip to Israel, but centre-back Marquinhos should be recalled to the starting XI.
Highlighted Player (Lionel Messi):
Lionel Messi is regarded as one of the best players in the history of football. He was born on 24 June, 1987 in Rosario and he began his football career at Newell’s Old Boys. At age 10 he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, but having realized his potential at a young age, Barcelona decided to pay for his treatment.
Messi joined Barca in 2001 and he has been playing for the Camp Nou outfit ever since. The Argentine magician has won eight La Liga trophies with Barca and he helped the Catalan giants lift no less than four Champions League titles (2005/2006, 2008/2009, 2010/2011, 2014/2015).
In the 2011/2012 La Liga campaign Messi scored 50 goals for Barca, while netting 14 goals in the 2011/2012 Champions League campaign. The five-time Golden Ball award winner has established himself as Barcelona’s all-time top scorer, but he has yet to win a trophy with Argentina national team at major tournaments. Leo Messi, though, has won Olympic Gold Medal (2008) and FIFA World Youth Championship (2005), with la Albiceleste.
Highlighted Team (PSG):
Formed by the merger of Paris FC and Stade Saint-Germain in 1970, Paris Saint-Germain or as they call it PSG is the most successful club in French football with 31 domestic titles to their name. Having won six Ligue 1 title so far, a record ten Coupes de France, a record six Coupes de la Ligue, six Trophees des Champions and one Ligue 2 title, PSG are also one of only two French clubs to ever win a European title.
Les Parisiens were crowned UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup champions back in 1995-96, while their last European trophy was the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup. Beginning of the new millennium was particularly hard for the celebrated club who flirted with relegation in 2000s before they were bought by the Quatar Sports Investments group in 2011 when the rebirth of the Paris Saint-Germain as we know it today began.
Following heavy squad investments and team boosting, PSG won their first Ligue 1 title in 19 years with Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic almost singlehandedly leading his side towards the trophy with 30 goals. Having established domestic dominance, PSG now set their sights on winning the Champions League which remains an elusive dream for the club from Paris.