A first meeting not to be missed. To continue its adventure in the Champions League, PSG, "only" third in the group stage, must play a play-off, a sort of round of 16, the first leg of which is scheduled for this Thursday (8:45 p.m.) in Plock, Poland . This adds two matches to the already crazy schedule of the French champion, who is heading towards a ninth French title in a row,
This is not the first time that Raul Gonzalez's team has had to go through this. This was already the case in 2019, 2021 or even 2022. Each time, everything went well, knowing that the opponent at this stage of the event is rather modest. After Bucharest or Elverum in the past, it is Plock which stands in the way of PSG. The Parisian pivot Kamil Syprzak was born there and launched his career within the second Polish club (behind Kielce), which is not a lightning strike. He only finished sixth in his group with a very meager record, namely five successes in fourteen outings.
Raul Gonzalez's Parisian team is expected in Poland to play the first leg of the Champions League play-off. 2024 Icon Sports
These two opponents will meet for the 7th time since 2015, and Paris has won the first six confrontations. The last one dates back to February 2023. In Poland, PSG won 32-26. Such a gap this Thursday March 28 would almost certainly ensure an easy return match in a week at Coubertin. Since its first participation in the Champions League, just ten years ago, the capital club has never missed the quarter-finals.
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But nothing is decided in advance. A year ago, at this same stage of the round of 16, Plock created a surprise by eliminating Nantes. The return of Nikola Karabatic, absent for two weeks due to a neck shock against Chambéry, is in any case good omen, knowing that the infirmary is almost empty. If everything goes as he hopes, PSG will find Barcelona in the quarter-finals. A poster that will look like that of football and much more complicated. Barca have never missed the Final Four in ten years. Eliminating the club from the eleven Champions Leagues with a return match on May 1 in Catalonia will be a real achievement. But no question of thinking about it at the moment.
For its part, Montpellier, another French club in the Champions League play-off, achieved a great operation by obtaining a draw in Zagreb (27-27). The return match is scheduled for next Wednesday (8:45 p.m.) in Hérault to join the quarter-finals where Kiel, the colossus German club of French goalkeeper Samir Bellahcene, awaits.
The Plock-PSG match kicks off this Thursday, March 28, at 8:45 p.m., live on Eurosport.