Reuters, November 1 – According to manager Christophe Galtier, Paris St. Germain needs to win its Champions League match against Juventus on Wednesday in order to assure topping Group H and gain an advantage in the draw for the knockout stages.
The French club destroyed Maccabi Haifa 7-2 last week to advance to the round of 16 with one game remaining. With 11 points, they are ahead of second-placed Benfica in Group H due to their same head-to-head record and superior goal differential.
Last week, Benfica defeated Juve 4-3 in a thrilling match at Estadio da Luz to advance to the knockout rounds and eliminate Juve’s prospects of winning this year’s league.
For the final 16 draw on Monday, the eight group winners will be seeded and will take on one of the eight group runners-up.
Juventus must hold on to third place to seal a spot in the second-tier Europa League.
Both Maccabi and the Turin-based team have three points and an identical head-to-head record, but the Italians are significantly ahead on goal differential.
Naturally, qualifying was required, and taking first place in the group is what we’re aiming for, Galtier told the media. We are Paris St. Germain, and this is our sporting goal. Juventus is already out of the competition, but they will make every effort to advance to the Europa League.
This is a very large club, therefore they will go to great lengths to perform well.”
Presnel Kimpembe, a defender, will miss the game due to a tendon injury, according to Galtier, who added that he won’t be ruled out for the upcoming matches.
He added that Juve’s struggles in the Champions League have not been helped by having several injured players, including midfielder Paul Pogba and forward Federico Chiesa.
“These are the games where Pogba and Chiesa’s absences matter.
The piling up of injuries has weakened Juve both technically and mentally. The Champions League demands a total dedication, he remarked.
According to Galtier, PSG must defeat Juve to earn Group H’s top spot.
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