Verdict: Karim Benzema to score anytime
Best Odds: 1/1
Bookmaker: Bet365
Hoping to join PSG in the knockout stage of this year’s Champions League on Tuesday night, a revitalized Real Madrid will welcome the defending French champions to the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid
Starting with the hosts, battling from behind to pick up a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad over the weekend, Los Blancos find themselves enjoying their brightest run of the campaign. In the midst of a three-match winning run across all competitions, a run that also saw them land a thumping 6-0 win over Galatasaray in their last European outing, Zinedine Zidane’s men have also recorded 19 goals on their six-match unbeaten run. With only their goal difference keeping them behind Barcelona in the La Liga standings, the former European champions have continued to shine in the Spanish capital. Yet to taste defeat at the Bernabeu since opening the 2019/2020 campaign, Madrid’s French icon has also seen his side concede just a single strike in any of their last four matches on home soil. One man to keep an eye out for on Tuesday night will be leading marksman, Karim Benzema. Leading the La Liga goalscoring charts with 10 goals this season, the 31-year-old has five goals in his last three matches across all competitions.
Team News
Marco Asensio, Nacho and James Rodriguez are all still out with knee injuries, while a fractured toe will see Lucas Vazquez miss out on a spot in the selection once again.
Elsewhere, Toni Kroos is pushing for a return in the middle of the park at the expense of Federico Valverde.
PSG
As for the visitors, while PSG may not have been at their best on some occasions this season, the Blues are already marching towards yet another Ligue 1 crown. Picking up a 2-0 victory over Lille over the weekend, Thomas Tuchel’s men hold an eight-point buffer at the top of the table and have already secured their spot in the knockout stage of this year’s Champions League. Winning each of their four Group A appearances, including landing a famous 3-0 victory over Tuesday’s hosts back in September, it should also be noted that Les Parisiens are remarkably yet to concede a single goal during qualifying. While the former PSG boss will be glad to have seen the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar make a return over the weekend, one man wgo has been arguably PSG’s brightest performer this season is former Real Madrid winger, Angel Di Maria. Finding the net against Lille over the weekend, the Argentina ace has found the net in back-to-back appearances for the French giants.
Team News
Along with seeing both Kylian Mbappe and Neymar make a return over the weekend, Thomas Tuchel may also be able to call upon Marco Verratti for their trip to Spain on Tuesday night.
Key Factors to Consider
- When the two sides met back in September, PSG landed a thumping 3-0 victory.
- Real Madrid have won their last three matches on the bounce, scoring 13 goals.
- Los Blancos striker Karim Benzema has scored five goals in his last three appearances.
- Angel Di Maria has found the net in back-to-back matches for PSG.
- Despite recording four consecutive clean sheets in Group A this year, PSG have recorded just one clean sheet in their last four matches on the road.
Conclusion
On paper, this has all the makings of a matchup that should produce plenty of chances at both ends. With Madrid and PSG boasting a string of stellar attacking talents between them, Los Blancos will know that a victory on Tuesday will see them secure a route out of Group A with time to spare. Looking to right a wrong after their 3-0 defeat out in Paris when opening their European campaign, fans around Spain will be looking for the red-hot Karim Benzema to lead their charge. Bagging five goals in his last three appearances and still leading the La Liga goalscoring charts, we’re backing the 31-year-old to extend on his tally in midweek.
Verdict: Karim Benzema to score anytime
Best Odds: 1/1
Bookmaker: Bet365
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