Adrian Mills’ best bets for the first leg of this Champions League semi-final clash include a win for the visitors with plenty of goals.
Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain renew their Champions League rivalry at the semi-final stage having already squared off this season in Group F.
Newly-crowned French champions PSG won the first group encounter back in September 2-0, but ended up finishing second behind the Bundesliga side in the table, edging out AC Milan thanks to a 1-1 draw in Dortmund on matchday six when the hosts had already sealed top spot.
Dortmund will be looking to progress from the last-four clash to seal a first Champions League final appearance since 2013, while 2020 finalists PSG are still hunting an elusive first-ever Champions League crown.
Selections
PSG to win
11/8
Over 3.5 goals
5/4
Kylian Mbappe to score first
3/1
French champions can edge first leg
PSG were confirmed as Ligue 1 champions on Sunday for a record-extending 12th time without even playing after closest challengers Monaco were beaten 3-2 at Lyon.
Therefore, they should be buoyant for the trip to Dortmund with their full focus on their quest for European glory.
Dortmund, in contrast, suffered a crushing 4-1 league defeat at RB Leipzig on Saturday, a result that severely damages their hopes of a top-four finish.
Luis Enrique’s side won the home group meeting between the sides 2-0 thanks to second-half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi and were then relieved to draw 1-1 in Germany, when Warren Zaire-Emery cancelled out Karim Adeyemi’s opener for BVB.
A defeat in that December clash would have knocked them out of the competition and Dortmund may now rue not holding on to that lead as Les Parisiens look to secure a first-leg advantage before the return match at the Parc des Princes.
The French giants’ impressive 4-1 away win at Barcelona in the previous round should serve as a warning to the hosts but the Bundesliga side may be powerless as they try to stop Kylian Mbappe and co from coming out on top on Wednesday.
Goals could flow
There wasn’t too much to choose between them in the group stage, but we could be in for plenty of entertainment in this semi-final first leg.
Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Le Havre was the fifth game running in which there have been at least four goals in PSG games and in the previous round they demonstrated their scoring prowess with the stunning 4-1 win at Barcelona after the first leg had finished 3-2 to the Catalans.
Dortmund were also among the goals when they had to overturn a first-leg deficit as well in the quarter-finals, winning 4-2 at home after going down 2-1 to Atletico Madrid in Spain, so the likelihood of over 3.5 goals seems high.
Mbappe can inspire PSG again
If anyone is going to inspire the visitors in Dortmund it is likely to be Mbappe and it would be no surprise to see him open the scoring in the first leg.
Mbappe scored twice in the second leg against Barca and he has amassed a sensational 43 goals in all competitions this season, including eight in the Champions League.
Mbappe will be determined to keep PSG on course for the final by again playing a key role and he should be fit and fairly fresh for the semi after only playing the second half against Le Havre on Saturday.
The striker is set to leave Paris this summer and the 25-year-old will want to exit on the high of helping PSG finally end their wait to be crowned kings of Europe.
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