"Two of the teams vying for a place in the top eight and, as such, automatic qualification for the last 16, are European champions Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United, who face off at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday. PSG, who had to go through the play-offs last season en route to winning the trophy for the first time, lost to Sporting CP last time out, leaving their fate in the balance."
"Luis Enrique's team sit sixth in the standings on 13 points. Newcastle, meanwhile, are seventh, also on 13 points, only behind PSG on goals scored. A win would see either of these teams through to the last 16, while a draw may be enough, depending on results elsewhere. If there is a loser, then they would almost certainly need to go through the play-offs next month."
"Since the 2013-14 season, PSG have hosted an English side on 16 occasions in the Champions League (W8 D4 L4) - those matches have seen a total of 54 goals scored (31 for, 23 against), at an average of 3.4 per game, and both teams have scored at least once in 14 of the 16 fixtures. The holders have been backed to win in 61.4% of the Opta supercomputer's 10,000 data-led simulations."
The new Champions League format has left top teams perceived as having less jeopardy, yet meaningful outcomes remain. Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United both sit on 13 points, contesting a crucial final league-phase match that can secure automatic last-16 qualification for the winner. A draw could suffice depending on other results, while a loss would likely force the defeated side into play-offs. Historical meetings show competitive results between the clubs. Newcastle have limited success in away European matches in France, while PSG have produced high-scoring home fixtures against English opponents. Opta simulations favour PSG.
Read at Soccer News
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