UEFA Champions League
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Played
December 4, 2012 7:45 PM GMT
Parc des Princes — Paris
Referee:‬ C. Thomson‎
Attendance:‬ 45512‎
 

Paris Saint-Germain - Porto Preview: Struggling hosts aiming for top spot in Group A finale

Carlo Ancelotti's men are on a poor run of form and they need victory if they are to secure top spot against the Portuguese giants

By Mohammed Ali

More On :  Paris Saint-Germain, Porto, Paris Saint-Germain vs Porto
  PROBABLE LINEUPS

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

Porto
Sirigu
Jallet, Alex, Thiago Silva, Maxwell
Chantome, Verratti, Matuidi
Menez, Lavezzi
Ibrahimovic
PORTO

Porto
Helton
Danilo, Otamendi, Mangala, Alex Sandro
Defour
Lucho, Moutinho
Varela, Martinez, James Rodriguez

Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti is set to welcome back goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu and midfielder Marco Verratti to his starting line-up after the duo missed the 2-1 defeat to Nice through injury.

Blaise Matuidi should keep his place in the side despite a silly red card in that league reverse, with Christophe Jallet set to remain in the side ahead of Gregory van der Wiel. Kevin Gameiro and Thiago Motta remain absent through injury.

Porto will recall a number of players to their starting line-up after the 2-1 defeat to Braga at the weekend as they seek a repeat of their 1-0 victory over the Ligue 1 giants earlier in the Champions League group stage.

The likes of Joao Moutinho, Jackson Martinez and Lucho Gonzalez should be named in the starting XI at the Parc des Princes, with no significant injury worries ahead of Tuesday's clash for Vitor Pereira.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • PSG sit in fourth place in Ligue 1 with 26 points from 14 games, having suffered their first away league defeat of the season.
  • Carlo Ancelotti's side have qualified from Group A. They will progress as group winners if they beat Porto.
  • Les Parisiens won their last home game against Porto in the 2004-05 group stage. Goals from Charles-Edouard Coridon and Pauleta sealed the win.
  • That defeat was one of only three defeats on French soil for the Portuguese club. They beat Olympique de Marseille, Olympique Lyonnais and Monaco en route to Champions League glory in 2004.
  • Porto are top of the Portuguese Primeira Liga, with 26 points.
  • Thiago Silva - now at PSG - was a Porto player in 2004, but left for Russia without playing a first team game.
  • Vitor Pereira's men need only to avoid defeat to progress as group winners.
  • If Porto lose, it will be their first back-to-back competitive defeats since November 2009.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Porto
    19.48 %
  • Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Porto
    10.65 %
  • Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Porto
    9.29 %
Head to Head
UEFA Champions League ‎(UCL)‎ Dec 4, 2012 Paris Saint-Germain 2 - Porto 1
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UEFA Champions League ‎(UCL)‎ Oct 3, 2012 Porto 1 - Paris Saint-Germain 0
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Last Five Matches
Paris Saint-Germain
May 18, 2013Paris Saint-Germain 3 - Stade Brestois 29 1FRA1
May 12, 2013Olympique Lyonnais 0 - Paris Saint-Germain 1FRA1
May 5, 2013Paris Saint-Germain 1 - Valenciennes FC 1FRA1
Apr 28, 2013Evian Thonon Gaillard 0 - Paris Saint-Germain 1FRA1
Apr 21, 2013Paris Saint-Germain 3 - OGC Nice 0FRA1
Porto
May 19, 2013Paços Ferreira 0 - Porto 2POR1
May 11, 2013Porto 2 - Benfica 1POR1
May 4, 2013CD Nacional 1 - Porto 3POR1
Apr 27, 2013Porto 2 - Vitoria Setubal 0POR1
Apr 20, 2013Moreirense FC 0 - Porto 3POR1
Odds
Returns: PSG £22.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Returns: Draw £170.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Porto £5010.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Team News
Available Squads
30Salvatore SiriguGoalkeeper
4Thiago SilvaDefender
33AlexDefender
17MaxwellDefender
2Gregory van der WielDefender
7Jérémy MenezMidfielder
14Blaise MatuidiMidfielder
20Clément Chantôme Midfielder
27Javier PastoreMidfielder
21Ezequiel LavezziStriker
18Zlatan IbrahimovicStriker
1Nicolas DouchezGoalkeeper
3Mamadou SakhoDefender
22Sylvain ArmandDefender
26Christophe JalletDefender
-Mohamed Lamine SissokoMidfielder
19NenêMidfielder
24Marco VerrattiMidfielder
1HeltonGoalkeeper
-DaniloDefender
22Eliaquim MangalaDefender
-Alex SandroDefender
30Nicolás OtamendiDefender
8Lucho GonzálezMidfielder
8Joao MoutinhoMidfielder
25FernandoMidfielder
-Jackson MartínezStriker
19James RodríguezMidfielder
17Silvestre VarelaStriker
-FabianoGoalkeeper
-Miguel LopesDefender
4Abdoulaye BaDefender
26André CastroMidfielder
35Steven DefourMidfielder
9KléberStriker
-Christian Twasam AtsuStriker
Players to Watch
Jérémy Menez
Jérémy Menez
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 7
Games Goals YC RC
7 2 0 0
It is no coincidence that PSG have lost twice during his absence with injury. Menez brings an immense amount of trickery and creativity to a side who have bought so many stars. However, the ex-Roma star needs to deliver when his side require it most.
James Rodríguez
James Rodríguez
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 19
Games Goals YC RC
8 1 1 0
The Colombia striker was a constant threat in the opposite fixture back on matchday two. Rodriguez's brilliant pace and dribbling gave one or two headaches to what was regarded as a stubborn and resolute back-four, before scoring the winner in that contest.
Prediction
Porto showed in the return fixture that they are not an easy side to deal with. Vitor Pereira's side might have suffered the first defeat of the season in all competitions at the weekend, but they have enough quality to frustrate a Paris Saint-Germain side who are on a bad run of form.
Editor's Prediction
PSG 1
Porto 1
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker
Real Madrid 		12 0
Robert Lewandowski Robert Lewandowski
Striker
Dortmund 		10 1
Thomas Müller Thomas Müller
Striker
Bayern 		8 1
Lionel Messi Lionel Messi
Striker
Barcelona 		8 0
Burak Yılmaz Burak Yılmaz
Striker
Galatasaray 		8 0