Champions League Semifinal Outlook: Real Madrid and PSG Clear Favorites
In an interview with Flashscore News, Data analyst and StatsBomb consultant Marek Kabat believes PSG and Real Madrid will qualify for the Champions League finals.
PSG vs Dortmund, Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich. Two of these will face each other in London on June 1st. But first, the semis. In an interview with Flashscore News, data analyst and StatsBomb consultant Marek Kabat provides an insightful analysis of the Champions League semi-finals, offering a comprehensive overview of the clashes.
And the stats don’t lie : PSG on one hand, Real Madrid on the other hand, are clear favourites. “PSG are the clear favourite. Dortmund have not had to knock out any top team in the Champions League so far. They did advance from a difficult group, but they were worse in both games against PSG”, he says. “The key for PSG is to control the game and not get into a shootout with Borussia like Atletico did. If they can do that, the individual quality they have is at a level to manage both games and advance to the final.”
Messi and Neymar limited PSG
Despite Neymar and Lionel Messi both gone this season, PSG has never been so close to the final, since 2020. (without Lionel Messi and Neymar), PSG is “Quite different, they have really changed their game. It’s more contemporary modern football and they’re more direct. They have the ability to go into transition quickly, they don’t just rely on a progressive attack. The biggest difference is defensively. You can see a shift to a more aggressive approach in terms of pressuring the opponent and the height of the defensive line, which wasn’t possible with Messi and Neymar. Although both are brilliant footballers, they limited the team significantly when playing without the ball.”
Marek Kabat adds that Real Madrid are never not favourite : “if history has taught us anything, it’s that it’s very stupid not to favour Real in the Champions League. For PSG, “The biggest challenge would be to match the experience that Real’s squad has. Even though his squad has changed over time with different players coming in, the key axis led by Toni Kroos and Luka Modric is still there. (…) PSG would have to find tactics to maximise the strengths of their offensive players in the final third. We don’t need to talk about Mbappe, but it’s about the other players.”
Beat Real Madrid before Mbappé leaves : the ultimate farewell gift for PSG fans
At the heart of this narrative lies Kylian Mbappé, the prodigious talent who has become synonymous with PSG’s rise to prominence in recent years. For Mbappé, this Champions League campaign holds a special significance as it potentially marks the culmination of his tenure with the Parisian club before embarking on a new chapter in his illustrious career with Real Madrid next season.
For PSG fans, it’s a bittersweet moment, as they prepare to bid adieu to one of their most beloved players while also hoping for one final moment of magic from Mbappé to propel them closer to Champions League glory. A win against Real Madrid would close this 7-year chapter in the best possible way—lifting the Champions League trophy with Mbappé’s brilliance illuminating the path and leaving Real Madrid defeated in their wake. It would be the ultimate farewell gift, a testament to Mbappé’s extraordinary talent and the club’s journey to the summit of European football.
