Champions League peak match of 1.98 billion euros: Paris waits for Atlanta s challenge at home

The lights at the Princes Park Stadium illuminate the greenery, and defending champion Paris Saint-Germain ushered in the challenge of Serie A powerhouse Atlanta. This Champions League battle is destined to be exciting.

At 3 a.m. on September 18, a focus battle will be staged in the first round of the new season of the Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain faces Atlanta at the home court of the Princes. As the Champions League champion last season, Paris Saint-Germain started their journey to defend their title.

This game is not only a contest of strength, but also a collision of tactical styles. Paris Saint-Germain has a luxurious lineup and strong firepower, while Atlanta is known for its unique offensive philosophy and efficient frontcourt oppression.

01 Historical confrontation, the shocking reversal of five years ago

Paris Saint-Germain and Atlanta had only once in the official match, which was in the quarterfinals of the Champions League in August 2020. At that time, Paris scored two goals in stoppage time, defeating Atlanta 2-1, reaching the Champions League semi-final for the first time in 25 years.

That game is a classic UEFA Champions League battle. Atlanta scored a goal in the 26th minute with Passalic scoring and keeping the advantage until the end of the game.

However, at the last moment of the game, Paris was equalized by Marginhos in the 90th minute, and Schubomotin scored in the third minute of stoppage time to complete the final score.

This shocking reversal allowed Paris Saint-Germain to defeat Serie A in the Champions League for the first time, and also laid the foundation for their final journey to the Champions League final.

02 The new UEFA Champions League match system, increasing the suspense of the game

This UEFA Champions League adopts a new UEFA Champions League, with 36 teams divided into four draws, and each team needs to participate in eight group matches. The top eight will directly advance to the knockout stage. The teams ranked 9-24 will compete for the remaining top 16 places through the play-offs, while the teams ranked 25-36 will be eliminated directly.

After drawing lots, Paris Saint-Germain's eight opponents include Bayern Munich, Barcelona, ​​Tottenham and other strong teams, with 1 tough game in every game. Atlanta is also facing severe challenges, and they need to prove their strength in front of strong opponents.

The new competition system increases the uncertainty and viewing of the game. Every game is crucial, and any mistakes may affect the final qualifying situation.

03 The lineup is luxurious, and the defending champion is strong. As the Champions League champion last season, Paris Saint-Germain completed a historic breakthrough and won the coveted Champions League trophy. This summer, they also won the European Super Cup and led the way with all four wins in the Ligue 1.

The team has a forward combination composed of Dembele, Kvaratskhelia and Douai, showing a strong deterrence. They not only have personal abilities, but also can break through the opponent's defense through cooperation, and their dominance at home is almost unsolvable.

coach Enrique led the team to win four championships last season, including the first UEFA Champions League championship in team history. His tactical system emphasizes ball control and high-level pressing, and strives to launch an offensive in the opponent's half to compress the opponent's space.

04 Injuries plagued, Paris faces challenges

However, Paris Saint-Germain is currently facing serious injury problems. Dembele and Douai, two generals, were injured while representing France and will be out for weeks.

In the Ligue 1 match against Lons 2-0 last weekend, Kvalatzhelia, Li Gangren and Berardo were injured and left the court one after another. Although Li Gangren is suspicious of going on the game, Berardo sprained his ankle and his injury is not serious, he will still miss this Champions League match. Kvaratskhlia is reportedly fine and can go into battle. The

team may also welcome the previously injured midfielder Fabian Ruiz. Regarding the injury situation, Enrique said: "This happens to every team. It's a bit difficult time for us...I keep calm about it and hope we can overcome it."

05 Tactical features, Atlanta's offensive philosophy

Atlanta's team from Italy is known for its unique offensive philosophy and efficient frontcourt oppression. Under the leadership of new coach Yuric, Atlanta has formed a tactical style characterized by rapid counterattack and multi-point blooming.

The teams are full-scale and highly skilled attackers such as Passalic and Muriel, who can change the direction of the game in a short period of time. Atlanta's defense is also worthy of praise. The overall defense is compact and has extremely strong synergistic combat capabilities, which can often put huge pressure on the opponent.

The biggest feature of Atlanta is that it relies on team cooperation and overall oppression to create offensive opportunities. It does not rely on a single star, but attacks its opponents through the team's off-ball running and tactical execution.

06 In recent state, the performance analysis of the two teams

Paris Saint-Germain is in a hot state in the new season of the Ligue 1, winning four consecutive victories. In the last game, they defeated Lons 2-0, Barcola scored twice, and Vitinia assisted and scored double.

In order to prepare for the Champions League, Paris coach Enrique rotated the team in the last round of the league, and many main players did not make it to the roster. This shows the team's emphasis on the Champions League.

In Atlanta, Serie A won 1 win and 2 draws in the first three rounds. In the first two rounds, they were tied by Pisa and Parma, who were not strong, and only defeated Lecce 4-1 in the last round, winning their first victory of the season.

In that game, Atlanta's 23-year-old Polish striker Zalevsky performed well. He not only scored a goal, but also provided assists for his teammate De Ketrare. Zalevsky joined Atlanta for a transfer fee of 17 million euros this summer and became an important member of the team.

07 Player duel, key figures are worth paying attention to

The key matchups of this game will be played in the midfield. Paris Saint-Germain's Vitinia is in good shape. He completed two assists in the last round of the league and showed excellent organizational skills.

In Atlanta, Decaitlare played double hits in the last round of the league, showing a good sense of scoring. As an old player of AC Milan, Decait Lare's performance in Atlanta is eye-catching. He is not only the team's scorer, but also the core of tactical execution. The 2nd team's forward match will also determine the direction of the game. Paris Saint-Germain's Balcola scored twice 8 in the last round of the league, while Atlanta's Zalevsky also scored goals and assists. The performance of these players will directly affect the results of this game.

08 The head coach fights, a collision of experience and innovation

Paris Saint-Germain coach Enrique has rich experience and led the team to win four championships last season, proving his coaching ability. His tactical system emphasizes ball control and high-level pressing, and strives to launch an offensive in the opponent's half.

Atlanta's new coach Yulic made his debut in the Champions League. He was fired by Roma and Southampton last season, and his coaching skills were average. How he will set up his troops in the face of the defending champion is worth paying attention to.

It is worth noting that Enrique had fallen while riding a bicycle, causing his collarbone to fracture and his arm to be covered with a cast. Whether this will affect his on-site command is also an unknown.

09 Absent from players, affecting the team's strength

Paris Saint-Germain, Dembele and Douai were absent for several weeks due to injuries. Berardo and Lee Gangren will also miss the game. Only Kvaratskhlia is reportedly fine and can go into battle.

In Atlanta, Lukeman, the main player who scored 20 goals last season, left the team but was unsuccessful. He was thrown into the cold palace by Yulic and still missed the game. In addition, there are also several wounded people in the team, and their strength has been affected.

These absent players have a certain impact on the strength of both sides, especially Paris Saint-Germain. The absence of many important players may limit the coach Enrique's deployment.

10 Game prediction, what is the tendency for the win-loss balance?

Overall, Paris Saint-Germain is generally expected to be able to score three points in the first game with its luxurious lineup, hot state and home court advantages. But Atlanta's teamwork ability and courage to fight and fight may also cause trouble on the journey to defend the title in Paris.

Predicted that the final score of this game is Paris Saint-Germain 2:1 Atlanta. Paris will take advantage of its strong offensive firepower and home atmosphere to take the lead in the first half. Atlanta will adjust its tactics in the second half, strengthen midfield control and use a quick counterattack opportunity to win back a game. But in the end, Paris Saint-Germain will secure the victory with more experience and stronger overall strength.

The result of this game will have an important impact on the qualifying situation of the two teams in the group stage. The winner will take the initiative, while the loser will face greater pressure.

Paris Saint-Germain started the Ligue 1 smoothly in the new season, winning all 4 games, scoring 10 goals and conceding 3 goals, and performing well on both ends of offense and defense. Atlanta's Serie A started with 2 draws and 1 victory, but defeated his opponent 4-1 in the last round of the league, indicating that his condition rebounded.

Odds trend shows that institutions are optimistic about Paris Saint-Germain's victory. But there is never a shortage of miracles on the football field. In the 2020 Champions League, Atlanta almost forced Paris into a desperate situation. The lights at the Princes Park Stadium will witness this showdown, and no matter what the result is, it will be a wonderful Champions League battle. As the defending champion, Paris Saint-Germain hopes to open a new legend; and as a challenger, Atlanta is eager to prove its strength.