Faced with a tough draw, PSG begins its Champions League campaign against Girona, an affordable opponent, this Wednesday, September 18. RMC Sport takes stock of the schedule that awaits the Parisians in the Champions League.
For its 70th edition, the Champions League has a new look. The traditional group stage of this Champions League is giving way to a league stage including 36 teams. PSG and the 35 other teams in the competition will no longer face three clubs twice, once at home, once away, but eight different ones.
Paris Saint-Germain, whose season was said to really start in February, will therefore have to work hard from the first matches of this new Champions League. And for good reason, the club led by Nasser al-Khelaïfi has inherited a tough draw.
PSG’s Champions League schedule
- PSG-Girona: Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 9 p.m.
- Arsenal-PSG: Tuesday October 1, 2024 at 9 p.m.
- PSG-PSV: Tuesday October 22, 2024 at 9 p.m.
- PSG-Atlético: Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 9 p.m.
- Bayern Munich-PSG: Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 9 p.m.
- Salzburg-PSG: Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at 9 p.m.
- PSG-Manchester City: Wednesday January 22 at 9 p.m.
- Stuttgart-PSG: Wednesday January 29 at 9 p.m.
A playable start to the competition
The Parisian epic will begin on Wednesday September 18 (9 p.m.) by the reception of Girona. The surprise team of last season in La Liga, once engaged in the race for the title, will discover on this occasion the lawn of the Parc des Princes.
The pedigree of PSG’s road opponent will step up on Matchday 2, Tuesday October 1st (9 p.m.)Luis Enrique and his men will make a perilous trip to the Emirates Stadium pitch, where they will challenge Arsenal.
For his return to his lands, the Tuesday October 22 (9 p.m.)PSG will face PSV Eindhoven. The opportunity to take three points before a high-flying series of matches over the next two days.
A sequence Atlético de Madrid-Bayern Munich
THE Wednesday, November 6 (9 p.m.)Paris will host Atlético de Madrid. A unique match, which will give an idea of the European level of the capital club this season. The Tuesday, November 26 (9 p.m.)the reigning French champion will be reunited with a club with which he has had many fights in recent years: Bayern Munich.
The 6th day, scheduled Tuesday, December 10 (9 p.m.)will a priori offer a more affordable trip for PSG. The French club will travel to Austria, where it will face FC Salzburg.
In the final stretch of the league phase, Paris will welcome a new big name, Manchester City, the Wednesday January 22 (9 p.m.)then will travel to Stuttgart on Wednesday January 29 (9 p.m.).
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About 15 points needed to qualify
At the end of this obstacle course, the objective of the French champions will be to be among the eight best ranked teams in the single group.
Based on 10,000 simulations, the X account “Football Meets Data” estimates that the eighth team will need 15 points (42% of cases) to qualify. Sometimes 14 (28%) or 16 points (24%) are needed. On the other hand, it is very rare that 13 points are enough (3%).
If PSG fails, it is a safe bet that the capital club will still play the play-offs, which concern the teams ranked from 9th to 24th. Knowing that the best play-off players will have the advantage of hosting the return match.
The final is scheduled for Munich
The draw for the play-offs will take place on January 31, 2025two days after the end of the league phase. They will be played on 11-12 and 18-19 February 2025.
The round of 16, each pitting a team that qualified directly against a play-off, are scheduled for: March 4-5 and 11-12, 2025The quarter-finals will take place on April 8-9 and 15-16. As for the semi-finals, they will take place on April 29-30 and May 6-7.
The final is scheduled for May 31. As in 2012, it will be played at the Allianz Arena in Munich. A pitch that PSG will have already played on this season.
Florian Bouhot BFM Regions journalist
