Champions League: It’s Hard to Bet against the French Champions

Paris Saint-Germain vs Manchester United

Paul Pogba, Neymar, Edison Cavani, Juan Mata.

All players who have contributed to this season’s catalogue of Champions League highlights.

All among the star names who will miss the second leg of this last 16 Champions League tie.

I could go on.

Talking Points

For there is many a star name absent from this tie, including Alexis Sanchez who will possibly miss the rest of the season.

Don’t get me wrong, SBOBET fans will still have plenty of talent to potentially drool over, most notably young guns Kylian Mbappe and Marcus Rashford in the club’s respective attacks.

Realistically, however, this this tie is over before the second leg begins.

An impressive 2-0 victory in Manchester three weeks ago has left Paris Saint-Germain in sight of a first quarter-final in three years.

That game was even until United lost Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard to injury on the stroke of half-time.

The hosts failed to recover their momentum, PSG showed their qualities and the game (and realistically the tie) was won.

Since then, United have suffered more injury woes and the suspension of Pogba from this second leg means United will be forced to select an entire second choice midfield trio.

Even without Neymar and Cavani themselves, PSG will start as firm favourites and the statistics back that up.

They have won three of their six two-legged knockout ties against Premier League clubs, although the most recent ended in defeat against Manchester City in the 2016 quarter-finals (2-2 home, 0-1 away).

That second leg is also the last UEFA Champions League match in which PSG failed to score; they have found the net in the subsequent 23 matches.

PSG have also won all 15 European matches when they have recorded a first-leg victory away from home.

French forward Anthony Martial is not fit to play the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Paris Saint-Germain — Manchester United forward Anthony Martial walks off the pitch after sustaining an injury during their match against Paris Saint-Germain

Not they can be complacent against a United side which has had a new lease of life since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – a Champions League winner with United in 1999 – took interim charge in December.

Since then, United have won 13 and drawn two of their 16 matches, their sole reversal being the first leg tie.

They too have a good record against French clubs.

The Red Devils have won six of their seven two-legged knockout contests against French opposition. Ironically, Solskjær scored in the sole defeat, against Monaco in the 1998 quarter-finals (0-0 away, 1-1 home).

Then again, United have never come back from a first-leg home defeat to win the tie in UEFA competition, losing both legs of all three previous contests.

One suspects, this will be a match too many for United’s injury hit squad against the Parisians who can even afford to lose by a solitary goal and still progress.

With a massive 20 point lead in Lique 1, PSG could also afford to rest players domestically at the weekend when United were fully stretched.

This will be a footballing match with plenty of match winners still on show in the Parc des Princes, yet the final outcome seems very predictable.

History

Apart from the first leg meeting (United’s heaviest home defeat in Europe) – and a pre-season friendly in 2015 – there is no history. Until the Qatari takeover changed the landscape of French football, the club from the French capital had been perennial underachievers.

Betting Tip

	Paris Saint-Germain vs Manchester United	Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.06
	March 7, 04:00 (GMT+8)

Champions League betting odds back that up.

In fact, Thomas Tuchel’s side are third favourites to win the competition @ 5.80 behind Barcelona @ 5.55 and new favourites Manchester City @ 3.75.

With a 2-0 first leg deficit, United are out @ 109.00.

So in control are the home side that you can’t actually get odds on them to progress to the last eight from this position.

PSG are firm favourites with 1X2 betting also @ 1.51, the draw @ 4.00 and United @ 6.20.

Similarly, with Asian Handicap betting, you can get PSG -1.50 @ 2.44 and United +1.00 @ 2.08.

For over 3.25 goals, not to be ruled out with two such attacking-minded teams, you can find odds @ 2.42, while an opening half without any goals – First Half under one goal – will payout @ 2.33.

Correct score 0-0, incidentally, is available @ 15.00.

If you think PSG will complete another 2-0 success, correct score is available @ 7.80, whereas a Double Chance Man Utd or draw is on offer @ 2.43.

This tie may lack the intensity of the first leg, particularly if the hosts score first, whereas it will be game on if United reduce the deficit.