Our prediction for this Champions League match:
Manchester United
Match Time & Date:
12/02/2019
03:00 PM
Prediction: 1-2
Paris SG
All eyes will be on Old Trafford when Manchester United and PSG take on each other in the first leg of the Champions League last 16. Despite suffering two defeats in the group stages, the Red Devils booked their place in the knockout stages of the elite competition, but les Parisiens are likely to pose a much bigger threat for the Premier League side than their previous rival. Man Utd have been producing fine displays ever since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over the reins, but given the attacking potential of PSG, home win should not be considered. Neymar remains in the recovery room, but we predict that duo Neymar – Cavani is going to prove a handful for the opposition defenders. Anyhow, PSG are more of a team than Manchester United and we believe that there is a big value in betting on the big-spending club.
Highlighted Player (Paul Pogba):
After spending four seasons at Juventus, Paul Pogba returned to Manchester United in the summer of 2016. The French midfielder signed a five-year deal with the Premier League giants for a world-record fee of €105 million. He set an all-time record for highest football transfer fee, surpassing Gareth Bale, the former record holder. However, he missed the 2016/2017 Premier League opener against Bournemouth through suspension.
Pogba was born in Lagny-sur-Marne, France on 15 March, 1993 and he represents les Tricolores on the international stage. He won the 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup with France, while making it to the Euro 2016 final with Didier Deschamps’ troops. However, they were beaten by Portugal in the title game at Stade de France.
It has to be noted that Paul Pogba won four Serie A trophies with Juventus. He produced a fine display in the 2013/2014 Champions League final against Barcelona, but Juve suffered a 3-1 loss to Barca in the Olympiastadion Berlin clash. Pogba is a central midfielder, but he is capable of playing as an attacking and a defensive midfielder as well.
Highlighted Team (Paris SG):
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.
