PSG vs AC Milan Champions League Matchday Three Betting Preview

Champions League football is officially back this week with a plethora of intriguing matches on the schedule. Among them is a must-watch Group F clash between Kylian Mbappe’s PSG and AC Milan at the Parc des Princes in Paris. The kick-off is scheduled for 3 PM ET. The hosts will be looking to bounce back from a brutal 4-1 defeat to Newcastle in their last UCL outing, while Milan is still searching for their first European points after back-to-back scoreless draws in the competition. Keep reading for the preview.

Can PSG keep it rolling?

It’s well known Ligue 1 isn’t the strongest league in Europe. That’s exactly why no one makes much of PSG’s success in France. But when they struggle, it’s always a topic of conversation. Luis Enrique’s side is actually third in the table right now with a 5-3-1 record, sitting two points off the top. That being said, they have notched two straight wins over Rennes and Strasbourg, scoring six goals in total while conceding just once.

By no surprise, Mbappe was an important factor over the weekend, scoring from the spot in the 10th minute before assisting PSG’s second goal from Carlos Soler. It was truly a dominant performance from the Parisiens, who controlled a whopping 78% of the ball.

When it comes to the Champions League, PSG has been a mixed bag. First, they beat Dortmund 2-0 in their opener before heading to Newcastle and getting absolutely throttled. In the process, Mbappe had one of his worst games ever as the Magpies backline completely shut him down. On a more positive note, Paris is still second in the pod behind the Premier League side with three points but will undoubtedly be searching for a win Wednesday knowing they can potentially move into first depending on what Newcastle does. They’ve never actually beaten AC Milan, but the last meeting was 22 years ago. The hosts are a big -133 favorite at 888sport.

Must-win for Milan

Milan is off to a very nice start in Serie A, sitting in second with a 7-0-2 record which is just a point behind Inter. However, it’s been a much different story in Europe and at this point, three points is essentially a must on Wednesday. Stefano Pioli’s men have yet to grab a single point and haven’t even scored a goal. Not ideal by any means. 

The Rossoneri also head into this fixture fresh off a disappointing loss to Juventus on Sunday by a score of 1-0. Things all went downhill in the first half when center-back Malick Thiaw was handed a straight red, which put the hosts in a difficult position. Manuel Locatelli ultimately scored the eventual winner for the Old Lady in the 63rd minute. Milan actually had more possession but managed a mere one attempt on goal. 

The reality is Milan has to start producing the goods more consistently, especially in the Champions League. If not, they will be looking at a group stage exit. Due to their poor play in the competition, soccer betting sites have them as a clear underdog on the road in Paris. 

Injury news

Numerous players will return for this match from suspension on the PSG side, including Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Randal Kolo Muani, and Layvin Kurzawa. Nuno Mendes and Presnel Kimpembe are injured though while Marco Asensio is doubtful with a foot issue. As for Milan, they’re without Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Samu Chukwueze, Marco Sportiello, and Ismael Bennacer.