Champions League: dream match at the Parc des Princes between PSG and AC Milan

Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credits: JEAN CATUFFE / DPPI via AFP 15:55 p.m., October 25, 2023

Paris SG are already playing for their European future in the double-header against the prestigious AC Milan, which begins on Wednesday at the Parc des Princes (21 p.m.), in a Champions League group where every misstep is now fatal. The Parisians made a first mistake by suffering the law of a euphoric Newcastle at home on October 4 (4-1), after an ideal start against Borussia Dortmund (2-0) on the first day.

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PSG embarked on a "group of death"

No need to panic just now as they are second with three points, behind Newcastle (four) and ahead of AC Milan (two) and Dortmund (one). But the "group of death" is keeping its promises, as after a break-in start to the season, each of its teams is in good form - even Dortmund with five wins in a row in the Bundesliga - and is in contention for one of the two qualifying places for the knockout stages.

Admittedly, AC Milan stumbled at the San Siro against Juventus Turin on Sunday (1-0). But the Rossoneri are second in Serie A, just one point behind rivals Inter Milan, against whom they lost their only other game of the season. On Wednesday, France internationals Olivier Giroud and Theo Hernandez - who will be reunited with his Parisian brother Lucas Hernandez - arrive in Paris with the intention of taking at least a point, after their mixed start: two 0-0 draws against Newcastle and Dortmund. And they will try to impress the Parisians in their legendary San Siro stadium in the rematch that will follow, on November 7.

"It's almost like a knockout game," says Luis Enrique

The double-header is "a turning point" in this "group of death", according to Paris coach Luis Enrique: "It almost looks like knockout matches, we won't know until the last day who will qualify, it's really two vital matches, which will condition the last days". For PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, however, "we must not make the mistake of thinking about this double confrontation". "These are two very complicated games, I don't know if they will be decisive but very important for sure, they are a great team, they are used to playing in the Champions League," he added.

On the Milan side, coach Stefano Pioli regretted on Tuesday: "Unfortunately we were not able to win a game, this double confrontation against PSG will be very important, I hope it will not be decisive (to qualify), but we will have to go until the last game to find out". Milan's French striker Olivier Giroud was hoping his side would score this time, after failing to score in their first two Champions League games: "We have to use that frustration in these games to correct him, and be more aggressive and killer in the box."

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Kylian Mbappé has regained his sensations during the break

The Milanese seem to have revived their prestigious history (seven Champions League titles), with a semi-final in this competition last season, a year in which the club made a profit for the first time in 17 years (6.1 million euros). AC Milan also have history on their side when it comes to head-to-head matches, since apart from two draws in 2001, they eliminated PSG in the semi-finals of the 1-1994 Champions League (1995-2 and 0-1). A memory all the more bitter for the capital club as their opponent had attracted their best player George Weah in the following transfer window.

For this 2023 edition, PSG still enjoys the status of favorite, led by a Kylian Mbappé who has found his sensations recently with three goals in the two matches of France during the break, and a goal and an assist against Strasbourg last Saturday (3-0). This Ligue 1 match reassured Luis Enrique about the depth of his bench, with the convincing performances of his Spanish compatriots Fabian Ruiz and Carlos Soler, both scorers at the Parc des Princes.

On Wednesday evening, the coach is expected to field a typical team form, namely the one that won against Dortmund and Rennes (3-1), with three midfield profiles including Vitinha. The idea of starting four strikers - Mbappé, Kolo Muani, Ramos and Dembélé - had turned into a fiasco at Newcastle. But only Luis Enrique knows precisely whether it will be a 4-3-3, a 4-4-2 or a 4-2-4, he who likes to muddy the waters and make observers speculate.