Borussia Dortmund will welcome Paris Saint-Germain to Signal Iduna Park for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinal in just a few hours. Dortmund have reached this stage by surpassing all expectations and Edin Terzic’s side are undoubtedly going to be a banana skin for PSG, the favourites to progress.
Luis Enrique’s men are coming off a nervy escape against FC Barcelona, where a red card helped them overturn a deficit away from home and put them one step away from the final.
So, who wins this clash of what looks like David vs Goliath on paper? As they say, it’s never easy with PSG when it comes to the Champions League!
Dortmund vs PSG prediction cannot start anywhere else but by signifying the importance of Signal Iduna Park for the Yellow and Blacks. Dortmund’s famous Yellow Wall will be in full force in the biggest match of the season.
Playing the home leg first is generally considered a disadvantage, as that means the deciding leg is played in hostile surroundings. However, when it comes to a clash between two teams mismatched on paper, playing the home leg first can be advantageous.
Dortmund will fancy their chances of landing the first punch on their more esteemed opponents, one which hopefully leaves them reeling and nervous when they play in front of their own fans.
The Parisiens already had one eye on this tie as they played out an unexpected 3-3 home draw vs Le Havre in the league game on April 27th. Dortmund, on the other hand, suffered a catastrophic 4-1 defeat away at RB Leipzig.
With Dortmund 5th in the league, it looked like their only chance of UCL next season would be by winning it. That concern is soothed now that German clubs’ good performance in Europe is likely to give them another spot next year, one currently occupied by Dortmund.
That frees them up to put all their eggs in this season’s UCL basket, making this tie even spicier. The motivation for PSG, on the other hand, no longer needs to be spelt out anymore. It is the one trophy their owners crave and have not managed to win despite coming close many times. With no clear heavyweight in the competition left and both Bayern and Real Madrid showing chinks in their armour, this is as good a chance as they’ll get of finally getting over that hurdle.
Expect Dortmund to start fast, buoyed by their fans and eager to put PSG on the back foot. Enrique’s side will look to dominate possession and hope their individual quality shows out. A nervy draw here followed by a win at Parc des Princes seems like the most probable scenario for PSG.
FootTheBall predicts Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Paris Saint-Germain.
