Following a 1-0 victory over PSG on Tuesday in their semifinal second leg, Borussia Dortmund advanced to the Champions League final. The German team scored an early header goal in the second half through Mats Hummels, and they went on to win 2-0 overall.
In the June 1 final, BVB will now play Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
With Kylian Mbappe slated to move to Real Madrid this summer, PSG’s tenure in Paris is coming to an end as they failed to find the back of the net despite hitting the post four times in this second leg and roughly five predicted goals in the two matches.
First leg
For PSG in Europe this season, flying close to the sun has been a common occurrence. Now, they find themselves facing a 1-0 deficit after the first leg for the second time in a row. Barcelona was eliminated as the Ligue 1 winners overturned a 3-2 home loss. Now, Paris must do the same trick in reverse with a one-goal deficit to win back home, which should be theoretically easier to do. The first leg was decided by Fullkrug’s 36th-minute effort in Dortmund; now, PSG must generate the same opportunity they did in Germany, only this time to seize it.Although Luis Enrique has made this Parisian team appear much better than it did earlier in the season, Terzic’s team also produced more opportunities but was only able to muster one attempt on goal here. PSG hasn’t lost at Parc des Princes since the first day of the Ligue 1 season, but BVB has the best record in the league heading into Tuesday with five clean sheets, so something has to give.
Route of Dortmund
With a 5-4 aggregate score, Terzic’s team spectacularly defeats Atletico Madrid to go to the final four for the first time since 2012–13 under Jurgen Klopp. After winning the first leg, Dortmund advanced automatically to the Champions League and, should they advance, might repeat their 1996–1997 success. With Newcastle United eliminated and Milan moving on to the UEFA Europa League, BVB actually prevailed over PSG in Group F. The Germans’ winning streak against PSG has already reached 11 UCL games, but they have only triumphed twice in their previous seven matches, the other being in the 2019–20 round of 16.
Route of PSG
Luis Enrique’s team defeated Barcelona in a remarkable fashion, winning 6-4 on aggregate in Catalonia to advance to these semifinals. After five seasons, PSG has made three final four appearances, which is a significant improvement over some of their previous performances. In the round of 16, Real Sociedad lost to quarterfinal opponents Barca, and Dortmund emerged victorious in Group F over Les Parisiens, despite PSG’s 2-0 home victory and 1-1 away draw.The French champions would advance to the final for the first time since 2020 with that 3-1 combination, but the Ligue 1 powerhouses would need to win 3-0 at home in order to duplicate that aggregate total. The defeat last week put a stop to Paris’s 15-game winning streak on the road in all competitions.
Team news
PSG: Following his horrific injury last week, Lucas Hernandez underwent surgery, ending both his season with PSG and his aspirations of playing for France at the UEFA Euro 2024. Both Hernandez and Presnel Kimpembe, who were both regulars for the France national team while healthy, have now sustained long-term injuries that may have a significant impact on their careers. After Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, and Milan Skriniar’s wasteful performance in Germany, Lucas Beraldo is more likely to step in and help Kylian Mbappe in attack for what is almost certainly his final UCL game at Parc des Princes with PSG. Marco Asensio, Lee Kang-in, or Goncalo Ramos may also be considered.
Possible starting lineup for PSG: Donnarumma; Dembele, Ramos, Mbappe; Vitinha, Hakimi, Beraldo, Mendes; Ruiz, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery.
Dortmund: Ramy Bensebaini, Julien Duranville, Sebastien Haller, and Julian Ryerson were all sidelined due to injuries sustained during the match against Augsburg. Tuesday should see Ryerson and Haller back in action, but Karim Adeyemi is a little bit of a worry after suffering a hit. Adeyemi and Jadon Sancho, who is controlled by Manchester United, ought to start again, assuming he is fit.
Possible members of the Dortmund starting lineup are Kobel, Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Sabitzer, Can; Sancho, Brandt, Adeyemi; Fullkrug.
Prediction
Dortmund could score a goal to ruin the game, but PSG should still be the favorites due to their home record and ability to bounce back. It wouldn’t be shocking if Paris beat Germany by one goal, forcing extra time and maybe penalties, but Luis Enrique’s team will be confident in their ability to repeatedly break through the German defense. Should the match last longer than ninety minutes, Paris might win 3-1 in extra time. Pick: Dortmund 0 – PSG 2.