PSG vs Newcastle Predictions

• No side has scored more goals than Paris Saint-Germain’s 20 in the Champions League
• Newcastle have won just two of their last ten away matches
• Both teams to score has landed in five of PSG’s seven Champions League games

Top-eight spot up for grabs

Last Tuesday’s shock 2-1 loss to Champions League rivals Sporting means trophy-holders Paris Saint-Germain come into their final league-phase game in a precarious position. 

A win in Lisbon would have left the Parisians three points clear of the chasing pack but instead they start the final week level on 13 points with seven other teams, including Newcastle. 

The Magpies comfortably beat Eredivisie leaders PSV 3-0 last week to keep their hopes of skipping the playoff round alive, meaning there is plenty to play for in the French capital, where the losers may have to pay the price of missing out on a spot in the last 16. 

Parisians primed for another home victory

Given they finished only 15th in last season’s league phase before going on to win the entire thing, missing out on the top eight might not worry PSG too much, but Luis Enrique would still love to avoid fixture congestion if possible. 

For the first time in years, the Parisians are actually embroiled in a title race, only regaining top spot from Lens this weekend after being second since late November, and Enrique is having to carefully manage the minutes of Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Achraf Hakimi and many more of his key players. 

Skipping the playoff round would provide a big boost, so it is good news their clash with Newcastle will be played in Paris and not on Tyneside, as Eddie Howe’s side have put in Jekyll-and-Hyde performances home and away this term. 

The Magpies have won three of their four Champions League home games to nil but have been held to a draw at Bayer Leverkusen and beaten by Marseille on their travels. Extending into all competitions, Newcastle have won just two of their last ten away matches, with a trip to last season’s treble winners unlikely to improve that record. 

Injury-hit Magpies may be comfortably beaten

While Newcastle will channel energy from their 4-1 home win and 1-1 draw at PSG when these sides met in the Champions League two seasons ago, this Parisians team is much stronger than that iteration and that is likely to show on Wednesday. 

Enrique has a plethora of attacking threats to choose from and they should tear apart a Magpies defence which will be without Tino Livramento and cut through a midfield which may be missing Bruno Guimaraes. 

A PSG win by two clear goals seems a likely outcome and the standout anytime-scorer selection has to be Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who scored his side’s only goal in Lisbon last Tuesday.