Champions League Opta Facts - February 12-13

Celtic - Juventus
o Celtic and Juventus have met four times in the past, each of their encounters ending in a home win.
o Their last encounter dates back to October 2001, in the Champions League group stages. The Bhoys won 4-3 at Celtic Park.
o The last two competitive encounters between Celtic and Juventus have produced 12 goals.
o This is the first time Celtic have reached the last 16 of the Champions League since 2007/08. They've never progressed further.
o Juventus hadn't reached the knockout stages of the Champions League since 2008/09.
o No Italian club has won at Celtic Park in the Champions League (two defeats, two draws).
o Celtic have suffered only two defeats in 23 home games in the Champions League, both against Barcelona.
o Juventus are one of four teams unbeaten in the Champions League this season with Borussia Dortmund, Malaga and Schalke.
o Celtic have scored the joint-most headed goals in the Champions League this season, alongside Galatasaray (4). Three of them have been netted by Georgios Samaras.
o Only PSG conceded fewer goals (3) than Juventus (4) in the Champions League group stages this season. They've kept a clean sheet in their last three games.
o Juventus have the most prolific substitutes in the Champions League this season with four goals from players who have come off the bench.
o Juventus had the joint-most shots in the group stages this season, alongside Real Madrid (126, including blocked shots).
o Andrea Pirlo completed the most crosses during the group stages (23).
o Fraser Forster was the busiest goalkeeper in the group stages among the teams who reached the last 16 with 25 saves.

Valencia - Paris SG
o This is the first ever competitive meeting between Valencia and PSG.
o Valencia have won all six of their encounters with French clubs in the Champions League (since 1992/93).
o Nantes are the only French club to beat Valencia in European competition over 90 minutes. It was back in April 1980 in the Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals. Since then, Valencia have won 13 and drawn four of their competitive encounters with French clubs.
o No French club has ever kept a clean sheet against Valencia in European competition.
o Valencia are unbeaten in their last nine games at the Mestalla in the Champions League (six wins, three draws), scoring 28 goals during that run.
o PSG hadn't reached the knockout stages of the Champions League since 1994/95.
o PSG have won their last four Champions League games, the best run currently.
o PSG have conceded at least two goals in six of their last seven competitive games against Spanish sides.
o PSG have lost only two of their last six competitive away games in Spain, winning three (against Real Madrid, Deportivo La Coruna and Sevilla) and drawing one.
o PSG had the best defensive record in the Champions League group stages this season, conceding only three goals in six games.
o All 14 of PSG's goals in the Champions League this season have been scored from inside the box.
o Valencia benefited from the most penalties in the Champions League group stages this season (3). They have converted all of them.
o Roberto Soldado has scored 14 goals in his last 14 Champions League starts.
o Jonas has netted three goals in two starts at the Mestalla in the Champions League this season.
o Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the top assist provider in the Champions League this season (5).
o Ibrahimovic has only scored four goals in 27 games in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

12.02. (Tue) 20:45 Valencia - Paris Saint Germain

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

VALENCIA
Alves
Pereira, Rami, R Costa, Cissokho
Victor Ruiz, T Costa
Piatti, Banega, Guardado
Soldado
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
Sirigu
Jallet, Alex, Sakho, Maxwell
Lucas Moura, Matuidi, Verratti, Pastore
Lavezzi, Ibrahimovic

Valencia coach Ernesto Valverde has no significant injury worries ahead of the visit of Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain to the Mestalla on Tuesday evening.

The likes of Joao Pereira, Victor Ruiz and Diego Alves should return to the starting line-up, having been named among the substitutes for the 1-0 win over Celta Vigo at the weekend.

Of the players who featured in Valencia's last meeting with PSG in the Emirates Cup back in 2007 in London, only David Albelda and Mamadou Sakho remain - though the latter is the only one of the pair expected to start.

Sakho's defensive partner Thiago Silva is out, as is namesake Thiago Motta with the pair nursing thigh injuries, though the Brazilian missed out the last couple of games through suspension.

Blaise Matuidi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Christophe Jallet and Ezequiel Lavezzi were all on the bench in Friday's 3-1 win over Bastia, and all should return to the starting 11.

David Beckham will travel to the Mestalla to watch his new team-mates in action, but has not been included in the squad. His first fixture is likely to be in the Clasico double-header against Olympique de Marseille in two weeks.

DID YOU KNOW?
Valencia sit in fifth place in La Liga, two points behind Malaga, but are unbeaten in four games - fixtures which have included Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Should the hosts pick up victory on Tuesday, it will be their 50th in the European Cup/Champions League.

Los Che have not lost in 17 games out of 18 to Ligue 1 opposition, having beaten PSG's compatriots Lille in the group stage.

Valencia have not lost a Champions League home game since September 2010 (1-0 v Man Utd) - a run of nine fixtures.

Paris Saint-Germain sit top of Ligue 1, six points clear of Olympique Lyonnais.

The Parisien club have conceded just one goal on the road in Europe this season, in a 1-0 reverse to FC Porto.

PSG's record in Spain reads W3 D1 L3. They lost their last fixture in Spain to Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League.

PSG have not been this far (with the exception of a second group stage appearance in 2001) since 1994-95 - the year they were also last champions of France.

Prediction
A difficult match to predict in all honesty. Valencia's home Champions League record speaks for itself and this - despite the allure of the Paris Saint-Germain squad, remains uncharted waters for a club only recently embarking on a pathway of success. Never estimate those who have been in this position often, something even PSG can't claim. Draw, but the visitors should sneak an advantage.

Editor's Prediction
Valencia 1-1 PSG

12.02. (Tue) 20:45 Celtic - Juventus

PROBABLE LINEUPS
CELTIC
Forster
Matthews, Lustig, Wilson, Izaguirre
Brown, Wanyama, Mulgrew
Samara, Hooper, Forrest
JUVENTUS
Buffon
Bonucci, Barzagli, Caceres
Pirlo
Lichtsteiner, Marchisio, Vidal, Asamoah
Vucinic, Giovinco

With Celtic currently enjoying an 18-point lead at the top of the SPL, Neil Lennon made a host of changes for the weekend win over Inverness in order to ensure fresh legs.

However, question marks remain over a number of players. Emilio Izaguirre (knee) and Georgios Samaras (thigh) had previously been rated as 50/50 for the match, but with Lennon insisting their treatments would be as aggressive as possible, starts look highly plausible.

Efe Ambrose will be available for selection, but his appearance in Nigeria's Africa Cup of Nations final win on Sunday means he looks set to take a place on the bench, with Kelvin Wilson already highlighted as a probable starter.

Juventus head coach Antonio Conte has almost a full squad to pick from, with very few players missing for the trip to Scotland.

Giorgio Chiellini (calf) is still a few days away from a return, while Paolo De Ceglie, Simone Pepe and Nicklas Bendtner (all thigh) will miss out too.

On the positive side for Conte, Claudio Marchisio has recovered from the injury which had kept him out for a month, while Kwadwo Asamoah is back from Afcon duty with Ghana.

Meanwhile, Leonardo Bonucci's domestic suspension means he will be refreshed for Tuesday.

DID YOU KNOW?
On each of the four previous occasions these sides have met, the home team has been victorious.
Twelve goals have been scored over the course of their last two meetings.

Celtic have never been further than this stage of the competition since it was rebranded as the Champions League. They are 19/5 to qualify for the next round with BetVictor.

From their previous 23 Champions League home matches, Celtic have only been beaten twice. Both of those defeats came against Barcelona.

Like Borussia Dortmund, Malaga and Schalke, Juventus are unbeaten so far in this season's competition.

The Italians conceded just four goals in the group stages. Only Paris Saint-Germain have a better record, having let in three goals.

The Serie A leaders scored four of their 12 group stage goals from the bench, more than any other side.
Gianluigi Buffon is the only player in either squad who played the last time the two sides met in 2001.

Prediction
Juventus will be at near enough at full strength for the trip to Glasgow, but Celtic's home record in the Champions League speaks for itself, therefore the Serie A side will not be in for an easy evening. A score draw looks a good bet.

Editor's Prediction
Celtic 1-1 Juventus

U utorak i sredu prvi susreti osmine finala Lige šampiona

Vatromet u Madridu obasjaće zimskim sivilom usnulu Evropu. Počinju dueli osmine finala Lige šampiona, čiji će derbi između Reala i Mančester Junajteda, na najlepši mogući način najaviti buđenje fudbalskog „ranog” proleća.

Od četiri susreta, koji su na programu u utorak i sredu, najviše pažnje svakako privlači duel na „Santjago Bernabeu” stadionu, na kojem će snage da odmere dva velika tima, ali i dve trenerske veličine. Promišljeni egoista, Žoze Murinjo, „ugostiće” prekaljenog „ratnog veterana” sa Ostrva, ser Aleksa Fergusona.
- Oni su kao Porše i Ferari. Nemoguće je odabrati ko je bolji - nedavno je izjavio Kristijano Ronaldo, vešto driblajući nezgodno postavljena novinarska pitanja.
Ništa manje interesantan neće da bude ni duel Valensije i Pari Sen Žermena, posebno zbog ambicija prebogatih gostiju, koji treneru Anćelotiju, Ibrahimoviću i ostalim skupo plaćenim vedetama, ne bi lako oprostili ranu eliminaciju od „šišmiša”.
D. Đ.

UTORAK
VALENSIJA (Špa) - PSŽ (Fra)
Međusobni susreti -
Valensija - Francuzi 18 13 4 1 39-15
Španci - PSŽ 16 5 3 8 23-27

SREDA
REAL M. (Špa) - MANČESTER J. (Eng)
Međusobni susreti 8 3 3 2 17-14
Real M. - Englezi 28 10 8 10 40-36
Španci - Mančester J. 43 14 17 12 64-56