Match Preview: French Champions Paris Saint Germain Host Juventus in UEFA Champions League Cliffhanger

• This is the first competitive meeting between Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus in 25 years and the first time the clubs meet in the European Cup
• PSG will walk into their UEFA Champions Group H opener against Juventus as huge favourites following their explosive start to Ligue 1
• Both teams have dominated their respective domestic leagues in the previous decade but have been perennial underachievers in Europe's premier club competition

Red-hot French champions Paris Saint-Germain will host Juventus in Tuesday's Champions League top liner at the Parc des Princes as Europe's premier interclub competition returns.

PSG have enjoyed an inch-perfect start to the French Ligue 1 - winning five and drawing once in their opening six games - scoring a staggering 24 goals to underline their flying start to the campaign.

Despite their dominance in the French elite division, the UEFA Champions League have proved elusive for the Parisians, with their closest being a runners-up finish in 2020, losing narrowly to Bayern Munich.

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Meanwhile, Juventus have had a less than impressive start to the Serie A - winning twice and drawing on three occasions, scoring just seven times to highlight their struggles.

The Bianconerri will be banking on their dominance in the head-to-head meetings against PSG - winning 6 and drawing twice in eight encounters.

Red-hot French forward Kylian Mbappe wants PSG to kick start the Champions League campaign on a winning note:

“It’s important for a club to face teams like Juventus. We want to start this European campaign well at home. Our supporters expect a lot of us, we need to put in a good performance and pick up result after result. This match comes at the right time to kick start our European adventure and to continue our good form.” He said at the pre-match presser as quoted by the club's website.

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Experienced defender and Juventus skipper Leonardo Bonucci anticipates a great game in spite of Di Maria's absence from the squad to face PSG.

"We arrive in Paris with the awareness and the will to play a great match. We will play against great players, these matches must be approached with a sense of fun. The match is both a beautiful and complicated one. We must all be ready. Not having Angel Di Maria here is an important loss for us, for both the experience and for all that he represents when he is on the pitch.

Team News

Probable Lineup:

PSG

Paris Saint-Germain trainer Christophe Galtier has a settled starting XI heading into their Champions League opener and his superstar trio of Mbappe, Messi and Neymar are expected to transfer their red-hot form to the Champions League.

The Parisians have a clean bill of health with midfielder Vitinha, the only one on the roster, doubtful for the all-important Group H opener against Juventus.

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Juventus

Leandro Paredes crossed carpets from Paris Saint-Germain to Juventus on deadline day and should start against his former club.

But Italian winger Federico Chiesa, Kaio Jorge and ex-Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba will miss out on the cliffhanger due to knee injuries.

Angel Di María, who also swapped PSG for Juventus, will miss the game with a calf injury, while the Brazilian defender remains doubtful Alex Sandro.

Players to watch

PSG's front three of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Leo Messi, who have a combined 17 goals in six games, will be the men to watch as Christoph Galtier bids for a winning start to the Champions League.

Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic, who has notched four of Juventus' 7 goals in the Serie A, will play a pivotal role if the Bianconerri will pick a positive result in the French capital.