Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Champions League match.
The reigning Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain begin their title defence with a home fixture against Atalanta. For the second year running, the Parisians have been handed a tough group-stage draw, so it’s vital they open the campaign strongly in front of their supporters.
Paris Saint-Germain
Despite a five-match winning streak to start the season, PSG have shown some cracks. The Super Cup was claimed against Tottenham Hotspur (3:2 on penalties) thanks to inspired substitutions after the initial game plan faltered. In four Ligue 1 rounds, three matches went under 2.5 goals. On Sunday against Lens (2:0), the coaching staff suffered another setback: with Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué already sidelined, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia picked up an injury, leaving Gonçalo Rámos and Bradley Barcola to carry the attacking load.
Atalanta
Atalanta, meanwhile, parted ways with Gian Piero Gasperini over the summer and nearly lost Ademola Lookman to Inter Milan — the club’s hierarchy rejected bids. Under Ivan Jurić, the Italians look blunt going forward: back-to-back 1:1 draws with Pisa and Parma hardly inspired confidence. Yes, they did thrash Lecce (4:1), but that owed more to the opposition’s weakness than any real step forward.
Paris Saint-Germain vs Atalanta Prediction
PSG’s back line, refreshed by the returning Marquinhos Corrêa, Willian Pacho and Nuno Mendes, is unlikely to be rattled by Atalanta’s key men Charles De Ketelaere and Nikola Krstović. Expect the Parisians to get the job done with a controlled performance and a narrow scoreline — they’ve yet to concede at home this season.
