Event of the Day: Paris Saint-Germain versus Liverpool
Our event of the day is the UEFA Champions League fixture between Paris Saint-German and Liverpool at the Parc des Princes in Paris. The two sides meet for the second time in the competition’s group stage, after a 3-2 win for Liverpool in the first meeting in September. The group they compete in, alongside Napoli and Red Star Belgrade, has been incredibly close and it’s all to play for. Be sure you don’t miss this clash between two teams hungry for success as they fight for position in the penultimate game of the Champions League group stage. It has been a tale of two competitions for Liverpool this season. They have enjoyed unexpected success in the Premier League, boasting a record of 13 wins, 3 draws and no losses through the first three months of the season. The only reason they aren’t leading the league by a comfortable margin is because Manchester City are having an equally successful season. However, they have not been able been able to replicate this success in the Champions League. They set in second behind Napoli in Group C, with 2 wins and 2 losses. After starting strong against PSG, they lost to Napoli in the second game of the group and, in their most recent match in the competition, were stunned by Red Star Belgrade in a 2-0 defeat in the Serbian capital. Liverpool will need to win both of their remaining matches to guarantee a spot in the next round.
That said, Paris Saint-German will not make that goal easy for Liverpool tonight. Having a similar season to Liverpool, PSG have dominated France’s Ligue 1, going undefeated in their first 14 games. However in the Champions League, they sit in third place in the group, with 1 win, 2 draws and 1 loss. Despite bouncing back from their close loss to Liverpool to beat Red Star Belgrade 6-1, they were stifled by Napoli and could only manage consecutive draws. In their first match against the Italian side, a 2-2 draw, they had to rely on a late injury time goal from Angel Di Maria to take a point from the match. PSG also need a win tonight to help their chances of extending their Champions League campaign. A loss and they might have to start contemplating the place in the Europa League that a 3rd place finish rewards, or perhaps the possibility of no European football at all. PSG and Liverpool are two teams that must win tonight and because of that, you will not want to miss what is sure to be an exciting match.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the NHL, where the Toronto Maple Leafs host the San Jose Sharks at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The Maple Leafs are enjoying a successful season, having gone 17-8 with no overtime losses. However, they are fighting for position in a competitive Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference with a number of teams also enjoying success this season. Meanwhile, the Sharks have had a season in which they have been unable to find consistent form and so, they have fallen from the top of the Western Conference’s Pacific Division, surpassed by the Calgary Flames. However, both are enjoying success to varying degrees this season, so be sure you don’t miss what will be an exciting and high-octane match. Elsewhere, in NCAA basketball, 7th ranked Michigan host 11th ranked North Carolina at the Crisler Center. The Men’s Hockey World Cup begins in Bhubaneswar, India.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by Paris Saint-Germain; UEFA