While PSG might need already booked their spot within the knockout stage of this 12 months’s Champions League forward of Wednesday’s showdown in Turin, Les Parisiens picked up a 2-1 victory away at Juventus.
Although the French giants might need did not clinch prime spot in Group H after Benfica secured a 6-1 romp in opposition to Maccabi Haifa, Christophe Galtier’s aspect cruised their strategy to the knockout stage with out breaking a lot of a sweat.
Wrapping up their group stage journey because of objectives from Kylian Mbappe and Nuno Mendes on both aspect of the half-time break, PSG additionally piled extra strain onto a struggling Juve aspect.
While the Old Lady might need put in a much-improved show on Wednesday night time, Leonardo Bonucci’s first-half strike turned out to be only a minor enhance for the downbeat Italians.
Crashing out of this season’s Champions League and coming underneath actual scrutiny, we have now taken a take a look at the important thing factors following their midweek battle in Turin.
PSG prolong on their current purple patch
Although PSG might need been disillusioned to have finally settled for a second-place end in Group H behind Benfica, Wednesday’s company are within the midst of an actual purple patch.
Making the journey out to Turin coming off the again of an action-packed 4-3 victory at house in opposition to Troyes, Galtier’s star-studded squad have now received every of their final 5 matchups throughout all competitions.
Still but to undergo a single defeat since opening the 2022/23 marketing campaign, the previous Nice boss finds his aspect tipped as one of many standout contenders to say a primary European crown this season.
Booking their spot within the knockout stage of this 12 months’s event after cruising their strategy to a 7-2 romp in opposition to Maccabi Haifa final week, PSG have continued to realize a repute for his or her success within the closing third.
Holding a five-point buffer on the prime of the Ligue 1 desk as they return to home duties in opposition to Lorient this weekend, Les Parisiens have their sights set on making actual historical past this 12 months.
Can anybody cease Mbappe?
Appearing to breeze their strategy to one other Ligue 1 title this season and breezing their strategy to the knockout stage with out breaking a lot of a sweat, Kylian Mbappe has performed an important function in PSG’s prolonged flurry.
While there might need been current hypothesis that Mbappe could possibly be seeking to safe a transfer away from the French capital when the January switch window opens up, the 23-year-old is actually firing on all cylinders.
Opening the scoring on Wednesday night time following a beautiful solo strike after simply 13 minutes, the World Cup-winner has already notched 19 objectives for membership and nation since opening the 2022/23 marketing campaign.
Likewise, together with mustering six strikes in simply his final 4 appearances throughout all codecs, Mbappe additionally broke one other milestone document on Wednesday night time.
Aged 23 years and 10 months, he turned the youngest Frenchman within the historical past of the competitors to notch up his fortieth objective within the competitors – a document that was beforehand held by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.
A Champions League nightmare for Juve
While Juventus might need managed to place in a much more gritty show on Wednesday night time, their efficiency won’t provide a lot pleasure to the pissed off followers round Turin.
Coming underneath an enormous quantity of scrutiny final week as they got here crashing out of this 12 months’s Champions League following an notorious 4-3 loss away at Benfica, the Old Lady have endured a public European wrestle.
Although the previous Italian champions may nonetheless have some European soccer on their agenda in 2023 after dropping right down to the Europa League, Massimiliano Allegri finds an unsustainable stage of strain on his shoulders.
Despite the Juventus hierarchy insisting that the 55-year-old won’t be given the sack, Wednesday’s hosts have failed to search out any form of stability since opening the brand new marketing campaign.
While the Old Lady might need been with out 12 first-team stars right here, issues don’t get any simpler for Allegri’s aspect.
Still sat exterior the top-six in Serie A, Juve will likely be subsequent seen on Sunday night time once they welcome Inter Milan to Turin.
Match Report:
Juventus: Szczesny, Gatti, Bonucci, Sandro, Kostic, Rabiot, Locatelli, Fagioli, Cuadrado, Miretti, Milik
Subs: Soule, Chiesa, Barrenechea, Barbieri
PSG: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Ramos, Marquinhos, Bernat, Vitinha, Verratti, Ruiz, Soler, Mbappe, Messi
Subs: Mendes, Sanches, Pereira, Ekitike
Goals: Juventus: Bonucci (39′) – PSG: Mbappe (13′), Mendes (69′)
Yellow Cards: Juventus: Gatti, Fagioli, Milik – PSG: Verratti
Red Cards: N/A
Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande
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