Paris Saint-Germain will look to return to winning ways when they host Benfica on matchday four of the Champions League group stage.
The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in Portugal last week, bringing PSG’s seven-match winning run to an abrupt end.
However, that result ensured Benfica maintained their impressive unbeaten start to the new season – a streak now spanning 16 games.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of their showdown back in France.
Benfica vs PSG H2H results
Current Form (Last Five Games)
PSG team news
The big news coming out of the PSG camp is that Lionel Messi is set for a short spell on the sidelines with a calf injury. He missed the weekend draw at Reims.
Neymar started on the bench in that 0-0 stalemate and so is likely to return to the starting XI here, though Presnel Kimpembe, Renato Sanches, Nuno Mendes and Timothee Pembele aren’t yet ready to come back into the fold.
PSG Starting XI (3-4-3):Â Donnarumma; Mukiele, Marquinhos, Ramos; Hakimi, Verratti, Vitinha, Bernat; Sarabia, Mbappe, Neymar
Bench:Â Navas, Bitshiabu, Pereira, Zaire-Emery, Soler, Ruiz, Ekitike, Rico, Letellier, Kari, Gharbi
Benfica team news
Roger Schmidt is expected to be without centre-backs Lucas Verissimo and Morato.
However, they are the only fitness concerns for Benfica ahead of the trip to Paris.
Benfica Starting XI (4-2-3-1):Â Vlachodimos; Bah, Otamendi, Silva, Grimaldo; Luis, Fernandez; Neres, Mario, Silva; Ramos
Bench: Leite, Brooks, Ristic, Gilberto, Aursens, Bernardo, Chiquinho, Draxler, Goncalves, Araujo, Musa, Pinho
There’s no doubt that PSG’s performances – not just their results – have wilted a little in recent weeks, and losing someone as valuable as Messi won’t make their lives any easier.
Benfica have made a fine start to the season, but if there was a game for them to slip up in, it would be away to PSG in the Champions League.
Prediction: PSG 2-1 Benfica
