After facing off in the Champions League group stage, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain reunite for the first leg of an exciting semi-final clash at Westfalenstadion on Wednesday night.
Both sides rallied from behind in their quarter-final matches against Spanish opponents to secure spots in the last four, with BVB narrowly defeating Atletico Madrid and PSG emerging victorious against Barcelona.
Borussia Dortmund have advanced to their first Champions League semi-final since their 2012-13 run under Jurgen Klopp, securing a 5-4 aggregate victory over Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals, with a thrilling 4-2 win in the second leg at home a fortnight ago.
However, preparations for their clash with PSG haven't gone smoothly, as they stumbled in their last two Bundesliga outings. A 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen, conceding a 97th-minute equalizer, was followed by a heavy 4-1 defeat to RB Leipzig last weekend.
Despite an early lead from Jadon Sancho, Dortmund found themselves trailing 2-1 at half-time, and Leipzig secured a convincing victory in the second half through Mohamed Simakan and Christoph Baumgartner, denting BVB's top-four aspirations.
Currently fifth in the Bundesliga, five points behind Leipzig, Dortmund's hopes of securing a Champions League spot next season hinge on their league performance, although fifth place might suffice given Germany's strong coefficient ranking.
While Dortmund could secure automatic qualification for the 2024-25 Champions League with a tournament win, they enter the semi-finals as underdogs against PSG or potentially Bayern Munich or Real Madrid.
Despite only one win in their last six meetings with PSG, Dortmund's home form offers encouragement. They are unbeaten in their last 10 Champions League matches at Westfalenstadion, winning six and scoring 19 goals in the process.
PSG have edged closer to securing their maiden Champions League title by overcoming Barcelona, five-time champions, with a 6-4 aggregate victory in a thrilling quarter-final clash, marking their third semi-final appearance in five seasons.
Despite a 3-2 loss in the first leg on home turf, PSG found themselves trailing 1-0 in the return fixture in Spain. However, Ronald Araujo's dismissal shifted the momentum in PSG's favor, with Kylian Mbappe (2), Vitinha, and Ousmane Dembele—against his former club—all contributing to a decisive 4-1 victory, completing the turnaround.
Following two more commanding 4-1 wins in Ligue 1 against Lyon and Lorient, PSG salvaged a dramatic 3-3 draw at home against Le Harve last weekend, with Goncalo Ramos netting a last-gasp equalizer. Despite not playing, PSG clinched their 12th league title as second-placed Monaco faltered against Lyon.
With high spirits, PSG gears up for their trip to Germany to face Dortmund, riding an unbeaten streak of 15 away games across all competitions (W12 D3) since their 2-1 loss at AC Milan in the group stage nearly six months ago.
Although PSG finished second to Dortmund in Group F of this season's Champions League, they managed four points in their two encounters. Their recent meeting at Westfalenstadion ended in a 1-1 draw, and PSG has yet to defeat BVB in three previous visits to Germany.
Borussia Dortmund will be missing Ramy Bensebaini (knee) and Sebastien Haller (ankle) due to injury, while Ian Maatsen (muscle), Donyell Malen (thigh), and Mats Hummels (shin) face late fitness assessments. Hummels was substituted early in the second half against Leipzig due to his injury.
Emre Can, along with Maatsen, served a domestic suspension last weekend but are available for selection on Wednesday. Can could potentially replace Salih Ozcan or Felix Nmecha in midfield.
Niclas Fullkrug, the team's top scorer with 14 goals in all competitions this season, is expected to lead the attack, with support from Jadon Sancho and Karim Adeyemi on the flanks.
As for Paris Saint-Germain, they continue to cope without Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles), Layvin Kurzawa (back), and Sergio Rico (head) due to ongoing injury recoveries.
Manager Enrique rested Gianluigi Donnarumma, Nuno Mendes, Lucas Hernandez, and Fabian Ruiz last weekend, but all are likely to be available for Wednesday's match. Donnarumma is expected to start in goal ahead of Keylor Navas.
Kylian Mbappe, who scored eight of his 43 goals this season in the Champions League, is expected to return to the starting lineup alongside Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola in attack.
Possible Borussia Dortmund starting lineup: Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Sabitzer, Can; Adeyemi, Brandt, Sancho; Fullkrug
Possible Paris Saint-Germain starting lineup: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Danilo, Hernandez; Vitinha, Zaire-Emery; Dembele, Asensio, Barcola; Mbappe
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Paris Saint-Germain
A captivating match between two teams known for their attacking prowess is expected on Wednesday, with both sides aiming to seize an early advantage in the first leg. Despite the evenly matched contest, PSG holds a slight edge as favorites.
Having won their last five away matches across all competitions, scoring 18 goals in the process, PSG enters the match with confidence. With star striker Mbappe and other key players refreshed and set to return to the starting lineup, we predict that Enrique's side will secure a narrow victory.
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