The UEFA Champions League for its fifth round of group matches with some instant favorites confronting the jaws of elimination, specifically Paris St. Germain.
PSG vs Newcastle United is one of, if not the most anticipated game this week because of how their first meeting concluded and the implications of a possible loss by the Ligue 1 club.
Currently, everyone in Group F, dubbed as the Group of Death, still has the chance to finish in the top 2 of the table with two games to go.
Borussia Dortmund is atop the standings with precarious 7 points followed by PSG with six points. Serie A's AC Milan sits in third place with 5 points while the Magpies are in fourth place with four points.
PSG vs Newcastle United Group Stage Odds
PSG: -0.5 to -1.0
Newcastle: +.5 - +1.0
Both teams To Score: 8/11 with BetMGM
First scorer: Kylian Mbappe for PSG
PSG vs Newcastle United Group Stage Preview
Coach Luis Enrique should treat the Newcastle game as a must-win or else, they will dig themselves a deeper hole. Their final game will be away at Dortmund and the German club is just too good of a home team.
The Spanish manager himself wants his squad to treat the match as if it is a finals game.
"We will play this game like a final," he told reporters.
"At this level, home games are key matches. The public is a special asset for us, we expect incredible support."
PSG were shocked by the Magpies back in October. The Premier League club scored four past them on the way to a 4-1 win.
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Enrique recognized Newcastle's strength and hope his team has learned its lesson.
His counterpart Eddie Howe also sees the Round 5 match as pivotal for their UCL campaign.
"We need to be playing on the edge, we're at our best when they have that different emotion running through so I expect that from the players tomorrow," he told reporters ahead of their weekday match.
"We need every ounce of motivation and energy to get a result. This is our defining moment in the Champions League campaign, we're well aware of where we sit in the group."
PSG vs Newcastle United Group Stage Pick
PSG 3-1 Newcastle United
The two teams' form can provide one a preview of what to expect in this upcoming match.
Newcastle United injury report:
Callum Wilson will be out for the Magpies in this pivotal match after suffering a hamstring injury while out for the England national football team during the international break.
He joins the likes of Joe Willock, Jacob Murphy, Elliot Anderson, Dan Burn who all missed considerable amount of games since the start of the season.
PSG injury report
The French champions will also be without midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery and captain Marquinhos who also got hurt for France and Brazil, respectively.
Form
PSG won four of their last five, scoring 14 goals in total. The loss was against AC Milan in UCL.
Newcastle struggled since their October win against PSG but recovered somehow in their last four Premier League games. They won against powerhouse Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United.
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