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So, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain face each other for the second leg of the round of 16 clash on Tuesday. With a 3-1 lead from the first-leg, the balance is slightly tilted towards Real Madrid.
The next game, however, will be played at PSG’s home, which means that there is a chance for the Parisiens to make a comeback.
Despite the fact that Real Madrid are still not playing as optimally as they did last season, there is still little chance for the Ligue 1 outfit to overcome their Madrid rivals.
So here are 5 reasons why Real Madrid will destroy Paris Saint-Germain…
#5 Neymar won’t play
This is the first setback that Paris Saint-Germain have received ahead of their clash against Los Blancos. The man who inspired the comeback of Barcelona against his current employers is going to miss the main clash of the season.
As a result, Real Madrid defenders will have one less headache to worry about. Neymar is a player in the mould of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He is always there to punish defenders should they slip up even for a moment.
Without him, however, Madrid can focus more on Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani.
#4 Last chance saloon for Zidane
Despite the fact that Barcelona have only won one out of their last four games in the league, Real Madrid have failed to capitalize due to their own lacklustre form. Had they won all their games in the same period, they might have had a faint chance of winning the league.
The time isn’t far when it will become mathematically impossible for the Galacticos to win the league. Right now, they are virtually out of it. As a result, Zidane is already a foot-and-a-half out of the club.
Even if he wins the Champions League, there is a chance that he could be sacked. However, at least he will have something positive to show for in his last season—which is why the Champions League is the last chance saloon for him. A shot at redemption, and he will expectedly go all out.
#3 Surprise midfield to take the field against PSG
Real Madrid are marred by injuries, too. Their two prime central midfielders—Luka Modric and Toni Kroos—are almost certainly going to miss the clash. As a result, Zidane will have to rely on Mateo Kovacic and Isco.
There could also be a surprise and the Frenchman could opt for Dani Ceballos or Marcos Llorente. In any case, it will be a new midfield combination for the Galacticos. In an ideal world, this could work in PSG’s advantage.
However, Mateo Kovacic is a supreme talent and at his best, can be as influential as both Modric and Kroos. His driving runs going forward is a sight to behold and almost always disrupts the opposing defence.
Whenever he has been given a chance, he has validated it. One can never forget how he imprinted his signature against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup.
Marcos Llorente, meanwhile, showed against Getafe that he has the talent to control the midfield while also providing a shield for the defence. He might not have played much this season, but has performed decently whenever given the chance.
And then there is Dani Ceballos. He was adjudged as the Player of the Tournament for the Euro U-21 last year. At his best, Ceballos is a treat to watch. Indeed, he scored a brace in his first start for the Galacticos, but who knows? Zidane might have been holding him back for this game.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo back in form
What is this man?! How does he do it, anyway?! Is he even a human being? These are some of the questions that could perhaps never be answered. At the beginning of the season and even till the last few weeks, the Portugal captain was being scrutinized over his form.
Right now, however, he is back to his best. In his last 8 games in all competitions, he has scored 14 goals and has assisted two times in the process as well. In 32 matches this season, he has scored 30 goals already, and that too, after having a terrible start to the season.
He is currently going through a five-match scoring streak and is most likely to make it six against Paris Saint-Germain. This is the kind of form that helped Real Madrid win the Champions League last season.
And he is doing it again.
#1 Champions League luck
Last, but the most important: the Champions League is Real Madrid’s backyard. Despite the fact that it took them 12 years to go from 9 Champions League titles to 10, they have won three in the last four seasons.
Another thing of note is that the Blancos have been atrocious in the league at times. Even in the Copa del Rey, they got knocked out at the Bernabeu by a lowly Leganes. In the Champions League, however, they somehow seem to sneak out victories.
One could perhaps say that Real Madrid have lady luck smiling on them when they play in the most prestigious competition of Europe—and in the first leg against PSG, we saw just that.
Which is why the Merengues will destroy the Ligue 1 giants.
