PSG to be dazzled under the Anfield lights
It’s back! And with quite a bang as Europe’s Premier club competition returns with a host of mouth-watering fixtures. The pick of the bunch has to be Tuesday night’s fixture from Group C which pits last season’s runners-up, Liverpool, against Paris Saint Germain, who begin yet another Champions League assault with yet another new manager.
Liverpool
Maximum points from their first five games has seen Liverpool equal their best start to a league campaign since 1990. The most recent of those victories, a 2-1 triumph away at Spurs, has us all wondering if this could finally be the year the Reds win a first Premier League crown.
It’s still too early to be talking about that with 33 games to go but they’ve started like a house on fire and may take some stopping. Their focus now turns to matters in Europe and a competition where success seems to come around a bit more often.
Ripping teams to shreds
Their run to the final in Kiev last season was quite something looking back, especially having started it all off with a play-off tie against Hoffenheim. The Reds proceeded to rack up a goal difference of +17 in the group stage, hammering the likes of Maribor and Spartak Moscow, and sought to continue ripping teams to shreds in the knockout rounds also, hitting Porto for five, Manchester City for five over two legs and seven in total past Roma in the semi-final, to cap one of the most thrilling runs to a European Cup final in living memory.
You’d think Klopp’s side won’t have it all their own way in the group stage this time around; Napoli, Red Star Belgrade and PSG will provide tougher opposition of that I’m sure. But Liverpool’s love affair with this competition should see them go far once again and I’m fully expecting them to continue their winning ways and start off with an important opening three points against the side likely to challenge them most for top spot.
PSG
Such is their dominance of Ligue 1, a good or bad season for PSG is determined ultimately by what they get up to in the Champions League, as is the future of the man put in charge of overseeing this project; Laurent Blanc and Unai Emery have both paid the price for modest returns in this tournament in recent years.
Next in line with the sole objective of trying to put a first European Cup before the Qatari moneymen, a trophy that would finally see PSG recognized as one of the giants of European football, is Thomas Tuchel, Jurgen Klopp’s successor at Dortmund; he’ll be hoping to improve on the quarter-final appearance he managed with Die Borussen as recent as 2017.
Little in the way of competition domestically
But the recurring issue of facing little in the way of competition domestically, is always going to hold back whoever Les Parisiens have in the hotseat, and this isn’t expected to change anytime soon despite some bookies having them as fourth favourites to go all the way.
I guess when you have a forward line featuring Neymar and Kylian Mbappé, you’re always going to have half a chance though; the latter in particular has carried his fine World Cup form into the new season with four goals in three appearances to see his side sit in the same position as Liverpool after five league games. Neymar also has four, while the easily forgotten Edison Cavani has three in three and still remains an integral part of this side.
Match Tip
The visitors most certainly have the attacking talent to pose Van Dijk and co a few problems and Tuchel will demand his players lay down a marker in such a high-profile game.
But there’s something special about Champions League nights at Anfield, under the lights, that can see even the best of opposition crash and burn, as we witnessed with Manchester City last season.
I’m anticipating a fast start from the Reds – they scored in the first ten minutes against Spartak (home and away), Maribor, Sevilla and Roma – that could shock PSG into action early on as well.
It’s an absolute belter of an opening game but one I reckon will go the way of Liverpool, with PSG getting on the scoresheet at some stage. Handsome odds on this happening can be found with Betway who are offering 12/5 (3.40).
Post bet chat Nick's Tips:
I thought Liverpool had blew it when Mbappe slotted home but an eagle-eyed Firminho ensured it was another memorable European night for the Reds at Anfield.