Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Madrid CF, how does each side look ahead to the Champions League last-16 clash on Tuesday 15?

Messi-Neymar-Mbappé versus Benzema-Vinicius-Modric with five days to go before the big match

photo_camera PHOTO - Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi

The Champions League round of 16 first leg between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid at the Parc des Princes, along with the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on 9 March, is widely regarded as one of the best matches of the season.

Sporting Portugal-Manchester City will also be played next week, with Guardiola's side looking to be in a good position to win, as will Salzburg-Bayern Munich for the Germans. The Inter Milan-Liverpool match will be more evenly matched.

The following week, 22 and 23 February, the Villarreal-Juventus game will be played, perhaps, from experience, favourable to the Italians, although the Levantines always play a great game. Chelsea-Lille is clearly in favour of the Londoners. Benfica-Ajax and, above all, Atletico Madrid-Manchester United, another great duel, will be very evenly matched.

Messi, Neymar and Mbappé versus Benzema, Vinicius and Modric. But the players in the background can decide the match. In addition to the world stars, Marquinhos, Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi, Kimpembe and Donnaruma will also be involved against Courtois, Alaba, Militao and Carvajal in defence.

In the playmaking Verratti and Danilo Pereira against Casemiro, Kroos and Valverde.

Karim Benzema

Both teams are coming in with a lot of games under their belts and in the case of the French with major injuries.

Neymar has been injured for several months and his participation is very doubtful. If he plays he will do so without match rhythm and it could be counterproductive as it happened to Real Madrid in the case of Hazard against Manchester City two years ago. The Brazilian player is focused on reaching Tuesday's game, but it is not very likely, he will certainly play in the game on 9 March.

Another doubt is Sergio Ramos. He has still not played more than two games in a row, but the Sevillian also has the tie against his former team in mind. 

It will be Mauricio Pochettino's decision to use the two out-of-form players in such an important game against PSG. 

In goal, it seems clear that it will be Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal. The coach has a strategy of alternating between the two goalkeepers. But in such an important match he will leave Costa Rica's Keylor Navas on the bench.

The defence will be led by the great Brazilian defender Marquinhos and on the right Achraf, a former Real Madrid player who has just returned from the Africa Cup of Nations with Morocco.

Vinicius Jr en el partido de la Champions League entre el Shakhtar Donetsk y el Real Madrid en Kiev, Ucrania

It also seems clear that Portugal's Nuno Mendes will be on the left. He has been doing so in recent matches, as has centre-back Kimpembe.

The latter may leave his space, although it would not be very logical, to a Sergio Ramos without match rhythm and without having played a match of this intensity all year.

In midfield, Verratti is fixed. Danilo Pereira also seems to enjoy the coach's confidence. Wijnaldum is injured and has not played in the last three games. But he does not have the coach's confidence either as he has not lived up to expectations. Leandro Paredes has an abductor injury and is practically ruled out. When he is well he usually starts, but injuries are penalising him. The Argentinian did not start well as he has accumulated several injuries, but in the last few games he has been used a lot by Pochettino. Other players with whom the coach could surprise could be Ander Herrera or Idrissa Gueye, fresh from winning the African Cup with Senegal, to have a more solid team in defence.

The forward line would be clear if Neymar were fit, Mbappé, Messi and Neymar, but it would probably be Di María, the tireless Argentine player who often throws PSG's games off balance. He was injured in the last game, but is now recovered, it was just a knock and he was substituted as a precaution. Icardi is not playing much either and there is talk of his departure from Paris. Messi, after a lot of criticism, is getting back to form and had a good game against Lille where they won 5-1. Lille's goalkeeper and defence gave away four of the five goals.

Kylian Mbappé

The likely starting eleventh will be: Donnarumma, Achraf, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Mendes, Verratti, Danilo Pereira, Gueye, Di Maria, Messi and Mbappé.

The Madrid team had the clearest line-up. There was only one doubt up front and Marco Asensio has dispelled it.

Courtois is at a very high level and is the saviour in some games like Iker Casillas was in his best moments.

If Mendy is recovered, the defence will be Carvajal, Alaba, Militao and Mendy. If not, the doubt would be to complete a more consistent defence with Nacho or Marcelo if they want to be offensive.

The midfield is the same as in recent years, the unquestionable Kroos, Casemiro and Modric.

Up front, Vinicius, Benzema and Asensio. If "Carletto" wants to have a more solid defensive team, the Uruguayan Valverde could come on in place of Asensio.

PHOTO - Karim Benzema

There will be several duels that could decide the match. The first will be to stop Mbappé. Carvajal will have a very difficult job to do and Ancelotti may decide to help out the full-back by putting Valverde in the eleven.

Another threat Real Madrid will have to anticipate will be the surges of both Achraf and Mendes.

The midfield duel between Verratti and Casemiro and between Modric and Danilo Pereira will be crucial in the build-up play.

And of course the Messi threat. Although he is not at one hundred per cent in any detail, he can turn the game on its head.

For PSG, the duel between Vinicius and Achraf will be exciting. They will also have to counter the creation of Modric and the play of Benzema when he comes down to distribute.

This weekend PSG play Stade Rennais on Friday with Tuesday in mind. They are thirteen points clear of second-placed PSG and will probably reserve their main players.

Real Madrid play Villarreal on Saturday. The coach has said that he will not reserve players, they have a very important game. Let's hope that there are no injuries and that they get through the game. Not winning and overloading his players with more minutes would be negative.

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