Newly crowned Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain travel to Signal Iduna Park for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
Although Monaco drew with Le Havre on Saturday, PSG won its 12th Ligue 1 title and 10th since 2012/13 with defeat at Lyon the following day.
Qatar’s financial power has made the Parisiens France’s greatest football force, but their ultimate goal of European glory has remained elusive. However, they have a good chance of continental success this season after taking advantage of Catalonia’s failure in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
PSG overcame a first-leg deficit, overtook Barcelona in the quarter-finals and faced Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals. It is a home and away game where they will be favored but their performance away from home will be crucial.
This is how Luis Enrique could line up his team for Wednesday’s trip to Dortmund.
TW: Gianluigi Donnarumma – There were a few mishaps, but Donnarumma generally had a good season between the posts for PSG. The Italian is being tested in Dortmund.
RB: Achraf Hakimi – Hakimi will be competing against his former club on the big occasion. His defensive strength and recovery speed will be tested against the lightning-quick Karim Adeyemi.
CB: Marquinhos – PSG’s record player has just won his ninth Ligue 1 title. Can he add a Champions League trophy to his cabinet?
CB: Lucas Hernandez – Hernandez partnered Marquinhos in Barcelona and we should see Enrique maintain the right-/left-foot dynamic on Wednesday. The Frenchman has an important role to play in bypassing the Dortmund press.
LB: Nuno Mendes – The young left-back has put in an impressive performance since returning from a long-term injury and was excellent in both games against Barcelona. He will add another support to PSG’s bow in the future.
CM: Vitinha – As another standout in the quarterfinals, the world is starting to recognize Vitinha’s brilliance, and a few more standout performances under the bright lights will further increase his value.
CM: Fabian Ruiz – Enrique is a big fan of his compatriot, with Fabian not only showing his ability to control games in the middle of the park but also providing a source of penetration with his waves in the background.
CM: Warren Zaire-Emery – The teenager saved PSG’s Champions League campaign by scoring on matchday six of the group stage at Signal Iduna Park.
Right: Ousmane Dembele – 2010 – 2011 – 2012 – 2013 – 2014 – There is perhaps no footballer Enrique admires more at the moment than Dembele, who thrived against Barcelona and is a consistent performer in the final third for PSG.
ST: Kylian Mbappe – Mbappe often appears isolated when pushed wide to the left and has a greater chance of success in a central position. The Frenchman scored twice in PSG’s quarter-final second leg against Barcelona.
LW: Bradley Barcola – Barcola is a serious talent who helped turn the tide in the quarterfinals. The Frenchman can be deployed up front but has recently had success when deployed on the left.