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PSG vs Barcelona predictions
- PSG to win – Evens with BetMGM
- Warren Zaire Emery to score or assist – 19/10 with BetVictor
- Raphinha over 0.5 shots on target – 19/20 with 10Bet
Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona both received a boost to their Champions League ambitions when landing in the supposedly softer side of the draw for the latter stages, but only one can advance from a blockbuster quarter-final tie which gets underway on Wednesday (8pm, TNT Sports 1).
The two giants of European football have seen their Champions League odds both to win the title and reach the final clipped after being kept away from Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich until potentially the final.
PSG are favourites with football betting sites to emerge from this side of the draw and the majority of betting apps make them odds-on to win the first leg of the quarter-final tie.
Facing Barcelona in a Champions League knockout scenario conjures up some bad memories for the French outfit, who won't want any kind of repeat of ‘La Remontada’ when Barcelona infamously overcame a four-goal deficit in 2017.
They’ve beaten Barca since then, eliminating them at the last 16 stage in the 2020/21 campaign when Kylian Mbappe stole the show, scoring four times across the two legs.
Mbappe will lead the charge for PSG once more but will face a Barca side that’s rediscovered its steely defensive edge, which was such a big factor in them winning LaLiga last season.
Xavi’s men are also unbeaten in 11 games, a run that includes their last 16 success over Napoli and an impressive 3-0 win at Atletico Madrid.
Whether they have enough to defeat Mbappe and co on home soil is debatable though and the Parisians are fancied to hold an advantage after the first leg.
PSG vs Barcelona tip: Mbappe to power PSG to victory
With the Ligue 1 title nearly in the bag and a place in the French Cup final secured, PSG’s focus is firmly on breaking their Champions League duck.
That was evident with the team selection for the 1-1 draw with Clermont and Luis Enrique, who was in charge of Barcelona the last time they won the Champions League, is expected to restore his big hitters for Wednesday’s game.
Not that he has too many big names left. Gone are the likes of Neymar, Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos and Marco Verratti, but PSG may have a better chance of getting over the line in Europe without them.
Mbappe is set to be the next superstar to depart at the end of the season, but he seems determined to leave on a high. He enters this game having scored 39 goals in all competitions, including six in the Champions League.
He’s now level with Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Antoine Griezmann in the Champions League scoring charts and is the favourite with some betting sites to finish as the competition’s top scorer.
Three of those goals came in the Parisians’ last 16 tie with Real Sociedad as they brushed aside the Spanish outfit 4-1 on aggregate. It was certainly an improvement on their group stage efforts having snuck through as runners up behind Borussia Dortmund and there’s the sense they can go up another level.
PSG might be head and shoulders above the competition in France but a 27-game unbeaten run in all competitions is not to be sniffed at, while they’ve won nine of their last 12 Champions League home matches.
In contrast, Barcelona have won one of their last 11 away games in the knockout stages of Europe’s premier competition and were beaten by Antwerp and Shakhtar Donetsk on their travels in this season’s group stage.
This is their first quarter-final tie since Bayern Munich thrashed them 8-2 in 2020, but if recent evidence is anything to go by, this tie should be far closer.
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Barca have kept a clean sheet in five of their last six games and are hopeful of having Frenkie de Jong back from injury for the first leg.
With Robert Lewandowski - third in the list of all-time goalscorers in the Champions League - leading the line and Barca having looked dangerous on the counter of late, they carry a threat, but perhaps not a big enough one to avoid a first leg defeat.
BetMGM are one of the few gambling sites offering even-money on a PSG win and that’s a strong consideration given Mbappe’s form and PSG’s home record
PSG vs Barcelona tip 1: PSG to win – Evens with BetMGM
Champions League tips: PSG youngster can have a big game
The star power may not be as great for this fixture as previous iterations, both clubs having cut ties with Neymar and Messi in the not too distant past, but both are confident they have some future world-beaters in their ranks.
At 16, Lamine Yamal leads an exciting new generation of talent to emerge from Barca’s famed La Masia academy.
PSG have been reluctant to push their homegrown products in the past but Enrique has given the younger members of his party a few more opportunities this season and amongst those to catch the eye has been 18-year-old Warren Zaire Emery.
Having been rested at the weekend and with Achraf Hakimi suspended, the versatile youngster looks set for his 36th appearance of the season. In that time, he’s contributed nine goals (three goals, six assists) and has been most productive in the Champions League.
He’s recorded four goal contributions in Europe, and in conjunction with Ousmane Dembele, they have the potential to cause chaos down Barcelona’s left flank.
Rather than back Mbappe at odds-on to score or take a chance on a waning Lewdownski in the goal-scoring markets, those looking for an alternative may want to back Zaire Emery at 19/10 to score or assist.
PSG vs Barcelona tip 2: Warren Zaire Emery to score or assist – 19/10 with BetVictor
Barca tips: Raphinha can find his range
Only three players have averaged more shots on target per 90 minutes in the Champions League this season than Barca’s Raphinha (2.36), the Brazilian having found his mark at least once in three of his four starts in the competition.
He enters this game in top form too having recently done a good job dropping back into midfield in the absence of the injured De Jong and Pedri. He may well be pushed further forward for this game and he's 19/20 with 10Bet to have at least one shot on target.
He’s far shorter with other bookmakers ahead of a meeting with a PSG side that’s middle of the road when it comes to shots allowed in the Champions League.
Raphinha had five efforts at goal at the weekend, scoring the winner in Barca’s 1-0 win over Las Palmas, and boosted by that success, he’ll be keen to try his luck in Paris.
PSG vs Barcelona tip 3: Raphinha over 0.5 shots on target – 19/20 with 10Bet
Champions League free bet offers
The start of the Champions League quarter-finals gives bettors another chance to earn free bets for wagering on Europe’s top club competition and other events.
Betfred are currently giving new customers a £50 welcome bonus, consisting of £40 in free bets to wager on football and horse racing, as well as a £10 UK casino credit.
To qualify for the offer, enter the Betfred promo code WELCOME50 when registering and deposit a minimum of £10 via debit card into your account. Then place a bet of £10 or more on a selection at odds of evens or greater.
Once the qualifying bet has been settled, the welcome bonus will be credited to the account.
Before signing up with Betfred or any new betting sites, read the terms and conditions of the welcome offer first. If you do have a bet this weekend, please gamble responsibly.
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Last Updated: 11th April 2024, 07:47 AM
