As the Champions League action returns for Real Madrid, they may have a reason to hope that they can pull off the upset against Paris Saint-Germain. Here is why.
Cristiano Ronaldo
All said and done, Ronaldo is still the highest goal-scorer in the history of the Champions League and in the current campaign too. While his domestic form has been wary, he tends to come to the party for the big matches. And it doesn’t get bigger than the Champions League.
He also has a special liking for the knockout stages of the UCL – he has been the most consistent and decisive goalscorer in these rounds for many years now.
Los Blancos will be looking at him to be their talisman again for this round of 16 tie. A lot rests on him, and he seems up for the challenge. The hat-trick against Sociedad would have soothed some nerves as he did look sharp on multiple instances in that match – with piercing runs and astute positioning.
He was arguably the biggest reason Madrid were so formidable in the knockouts last season, and Madridistas will be hoping for a repeat of the same this year.
The Champions League connection
As dramatic as it may sound, Real Madrid do have a special relationship with the Champions League. Those who have followed this team over the years would agree that the team looks and plays differently when they appear in this competition.
They have won it 12 times, thrice in the last four years, which lends a certain air of invincibility. Real Madrid has also appeared in seven straight semifinals. No other team has come close to it.
No team looks forward to drawing Real Madrid and PSG are no different.
Champion vs. contender.
— AS USA (@English_AS) February 14, 2018
The Real Madrid vs PSG #ChampionsLeague tie dominates today's front cover of AS.#RealMadridPSG https://t.co/i5U2fy0MRn pic.twitter.com/OR626Vq94a
Champions League is the holy grail for the Madrid team, hierarchy, and the fans alike. They are well aware that if they manage to succeed in this competition, their misadventures from the rest of the season will be forgiven swiftly.
PSG are yet to announce themselves on the big stage
While the PSG front-line of Neymar, Mbappe and Cavani are causing havoc in Ligue 1, they haven’t proven themselves in Europe yet. They did defeat Bayern in the group stage but were beaten as easily once Bayern regained their mojo.
It was a revolution of sorts for Paris in the summer window; by bringing in Neymar, Mbappe and Dani Alves, they wanted to announce that they will be gunning for the Champions League this season. It all comes down to this match for them – the burden of expectations will be on their shoulders.
Playing at the Bernabéu will be no easy task either.
They will also acutely remember what happened last year when they visited a Spanish team in the Round of 16. They choked miserably, and Barca pulled off the biggest Remontada against them in the history of the UCL knockout stage. The memory will still be fresh and it will require massive strength of character to not let it affect them.
Neymar is in the form of his life, but there are some fitness concerns. Mbappe and Cavani can be managed if Madrid plays to plan.
Next: Scouting the enemy: A guide to Paris Saint-Germain
The defense isn’t a strong point for either team, but Real Madrid may have an edge in the midfield. Madrid will also count on their experience at the big stage against a team which is still fairly young in the Champions League
As strange as it sounds, two-time defending champions Real Madrid are the underdogs and PSG are the favorites for this fixture. But all may not be lost for Los Blancos.