Why Real Madrid Should Be Confident of Keeping Crucial Clean Sheet in Parc des Princes

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90 Min
Publish date:
Mar 6, 2018

Real Madrid are favourites to progress to the Champions League quarter finals ahead of Paris Saint-Germain this week, but Adrien Rabiot's vital away goal a fortnight ago in the first leg means that there is still a level of hope for the French giants.

A not incomprehensible 2-0 win at Parc des Princes would see PSG go through, despite currently trailing by what seemed like a commanding 3-1 aggregate advantage for Los Blancos.

Certainly, if PSG score first, nerves among the visiting Real players will grow.

The best way for back-to-back reigning champions Real to secure their place in the next round will be to keep it tight at the back and hold onto a clean sheet. That is easier said than done, though, with PSG scoring in every European home game over the last two-and-a-half years.

The Ligue 1 leaders set a Champions League record for group stage goals (25) earlier this season and haven't failed to find the net at Parc des Princes in Europe since October 2015.

But the last visiting European team to manage a shutout in Paris? Real Madrid.

The two clubs were drawn into the same group during the 2015/16 season, with the first meeting in the French capital ending 0-0. Real then won the reverse fixture in Madrid thanks to a single goal from versatile home-grown defender Nacho.

The PSG side Real faced that season contained Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but the options for the Spaniards are largely still the same three seasons on after Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and goalkeeper Keylor Navas started the 0-0 draw in France.