PREVIEW
Paris Saint Germain, riding high on its near-perfect start to the season will look to stay on course when it faces Benfica in Group H.
Sitting on top of the Ligue 1, PSG comes to the match on the back of a 2-1 win over OGC Nice. It would also take positive from the fact that Messi scored in successive appearances for the club and has reclaim the form that he seemed to have missed last season.
Mbappe, too, was on the scoresheet against Nice and is the leading goal scorer in the Champions League so far.
For Benfica, the challenge is tough, but not improbable. The Lisbon-based club beat Juventus in the previous game week and is in a rich vein of form. Benfica, just like PSG, has won both its games in the Champions League so far.
It has also seen a strong start in the Portuguese league and has won seven out of its eight matches. In the duration, it has scored 19 goals and conceded just 3.
A win against PSG will cement the club’s place on top of Group H and help its bid to advance to the knockouts.
HEAD TO HEAD
The teams have faced each other twice in the Champions League during the 2013/14 group stage. PSG and Benfica have won one match each.
Paris Saint Germain won the first match 3-0, while the return fixture went 2-1 Benfica’s way.
The teams also went head to head in the 2010/11 Europa League, in the Round of 16. Benfica advanced to the next round with 3-2 aggregate win.
PREDICTED XI
Benfica (4-2-3-1): Vlachodimos - Bah, A. Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo - Florentino, Fernandez - Neres, R. Silva, Mario - Ramos
PSG (3-4-3): Donnarumma - Mukiele, Marquinhos, Ramos - Hakimi, Pereira, Vitinha, Mendes - Messi, Mbappe, Neymar
WHEN AND WHERE TO WATCH
Benfica vs PSG will kick-off at 8:00 PM BST/ 12.30 AM IST on Thursday.
Benfica vs PSG UEFA Champions League match will be telecast live across the Sony Sports Network in India. The match will also be live streamed on Sony LIV.
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