The UEFA Champions League returns this week for the second game of the League Phase, and the match of the week will see two of the most exciting sides in Europe go head-to-head as Barcelona host Paris Saint-Germain.
Hansi Flick‘s side claimed a 2-1 win over Newcastle in their first game in the competition two weeks ago, while Luis Enrique‘s side began their defence of their trophy with a dominant 4-0 win over Atalanta. Now both teams will look to make a statement against another favorite for the tournament.
We’ll take a look at the match up and break down the game, while we provide you with our best free soccer betting picks to see if we can earn you some extra cash while you enjoy the action on the pitch.
Check out the best Champions League betting sites here.
The reigning La Liga champions have started their season in fantastic form once again, and come into this game unbeaten in all competitions so far.
Barcelona have won six of their seven games in the Spanish league and sit ahead of rivals Real Madrid atop the table, having claimed a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad at the weekend where they came from 1-0 down.
They also started their Champions League campaign with a strong 2-1 win over Premier League outfit Newcastle, where loanee Marcus Rashford scored his first two goals for the club since joining on loan in the summer.
The England forward will likely keep his place in the starting lineup once more for this game too, with Flick dealing with a number of injury concerns. Brazil star Raphinha and first-choice goalkeeper Joan Garcia will both miss the game after suffering injuries at the weekend, while Lamine Yamal is being managed after recently recovering from a groin problem.
Fermin Lopez, Alejandro Balde, Gavi and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are also absent through injury and will miss the game.
Barcelona Predicted Starting XI: Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Martin; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Rashford; Lewandowski.
PSG came into the season on the back of winning their first ever Champions League trophy on top of winning the Ligue 1 title, the Coup de France and reaching the final of the FIFA Club World Cup.
They started their season with a stunning comeback win over Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup to make it four trophies for Enrique’s side, and have since started the defense of their French title in near-perfect fashion with five wins from their opening six games – including a 2-0 win over Auxerre this past weekend.
The club also started their Champions League defense in the perfect way as they dismantled Serie A outfit Atalanta 4-0 in the opening game week thanks to goals from Marquinhos, Khvhicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes and Goncalo Ramos.
However, much like Barcelona, PSG have several injury concerns coming into this game and will be far from able to field their strongest lineup.
Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele is still recovering from a hamstring injury while Desire Doue and Joao Neves are unavailable until after the next international break. The club were then rocked by news that Marquinhos is out with a leg injury, while Kvaratskhelia and Vitinha have picked up injuries over the weekend and are doubtful to play.
PSG Predicted XI: Chevalier; Hakimi, Zabarnyi, Pacho, Mendes; Ruiz, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery; Mbaye, Ramos, Barcola.
Even with all the injury problems for key players, both of these teams will not alter their playing styles, and that means there is sure to be goals galore.
In the 2024/25 season, the two teams combined to score 321 goals (Barcelona 174-147 PSG), the two highest-scoring teams in Europe. So far this season, they have started similarly too – combining for 42 goals already (Barcelona 23-19 PSG).
Both teams play a high-pressing game with pacey wingers and world-class quality on the pitch, and with so much space in behind the defenses their should be an abundance of chances. In addition to that, Barcelona will be forced to use their third-choice goalkeeper for the game, while new PSG stopper Lucas Chevalier hasn’t had the greatest of starts to his Paris career.
There will be goals in this game, and taking the Over 2.5 line at -250 looks like a great bet.
Check out our review for Bovada sports betting here.
In a game where all eyes will be on the superstars, the one with the biggest point to prove is Rashford, and he is in fine form.
After a slow start to life in Spain, the 27-year-old has burst into life since the September international break where he scored for England against Serbia, and has since gone on to register two goals and three assists in his next five games – including an assist in each of his last two appearances.
He also has a great individual record against PSG: Rashford has three goals and two assists in six appearances against the French giants during his career.
With Raphinha and Fermin Lopez out, Rashford should start in his preferred left-wing role, and with the space in behind PSG like to leave, getting odds of -150 for him to register a goal contribution looks like excellent value.
Check out our review for BetOnline sports betting here.
About the Author
Daniel is a football writer who has a great thirst for the Premier League and other major European leagues. A lover of the beautiful game and a firm believer that the eye test is better than statistics. Also an avid MMA fan.
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