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Champions League action for the 2023-24 tournament begins Tuesday and we’ve got an absolute banger in Group F, which is easily the “Group of Death” this year. Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain will face Bundesliga stalwarts Borussia Dortmund, although both teams have struggled to start domestic play. These clubs did meet in the 2019-20 UCL round of 16, with PSG winning the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
Here’s what you need to know for the match, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Paris Saint-Germain v. Borussia Dortmund
Date: Tuesday, September 19
Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV channel: N/A
Livestream: Paramount+, fuboTV
Moneyline odds
PSG: -135
Draw: +320
Borussia Dortmund: +320
Moneyline pick: Draw +320
PSG have looked slightly off to start the season, although it is still early. The Ligue 1 side are coming into this fixture of a 3-2 loss to Nice, and have won just two of their last five matches. Lionel Messi and Neymar are gone, but Kylian Mbappe remains in the mix for now. The striker has been dynamic with seven goals in four matches and continues to build his value ahead of the winter transfer window. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma will hope to recover after giving up three goals in the team’s last match. Achraf. Hakimi, Ousmane Dembele and Milan Skriniar will be key players to watch as well for PSG.
Dortmund haven’t lost a Bundesliga fixture yet, but are near the bottom of the top group of teams in the standings in the early part of the season. Donyell Malen has been the team’s top scorer, and Mats. Hummels found the back of the net twice in their most recent win over Freiburg. A midfield featuring Emre Can, Marcel Sabitzer and Julian Brandt will be hard for PSG to break through.
Usually, it takes a while for two heavyweight clubs to feel each other out before settling into the game. There’s also a bit of caution here, as one mistake in this group could mean an early trip home. I expect some relatively conservative play to open up this tournament from both sides, resulting in a draw in this match.