Real Sociedad's first appearance in the Uefa Champions League round of 16 in 20 years takes them to the Parc des Princes to face a Paris Saint-Germain side who are at this stage for the 12th successive season. Catch the action live on SuperSport at 22:00 CAT.
While the Spanish club have not featured in the round of 16 since 2003/04, the first season the stage was introduced, Paris have become knockout regulars – although five of their last seven campaigns have ended at this juncture.
The French champions were second in their section for the third season running in the autumn, picking up eight points in Group F to edge out AC Milan on head-to-head record and finish runners-up to Borussia Dortmund.
Real Sociedad, meanwhile, progressed as Group D winners, holding off last season's runners-up Inter Milan thanks to a goalless draw at San Siro on Matchday 6 after the teams had finished unbeaten and tied on 12 points.
MATCH FACTS
This is the first ever competitive meeting between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Sociedad. The French side have been eliminated on five of the last six occasions they’ve faced Spanish opposition in the Uefa Champions League knockout rounds, eliminating Barcelona in the other (2020-21 round of 16).
Real Sociedad have lost three of their six meetings with French opponents in all competitions (W2 D1). They’ve lost both such games in the Uefa Champions League – going down 1-0 in both legs of a last 16 tie against Lyon in 2003-04.
After reaching the final in 2020 and the semifinal in 2021, Paris Saint-Germain have been eliminated from the Uefa Champions League at the round of 16 stage in the last two seasons.
Real Sociedad’s only previous appearance in the Uefa Champions League knockout stages was in 2003-04 – they lost 1-0 in both legs of the last 16 to French side Lyon.
Paris Saint-Germain failed to win any of their last three group stage games (D2 L1). They last went four Uefa Champions League games without a win in the same campaign between MD6 and the quarterfinal in 2014-15 (D2 L3).
Real Sociedad remained unbeaten in their Uefa Champions League group this season, winning three and drawing three. The Spanish side kept more clean sheets (4), conceded fewer goals (2) and faced fewer shots on target (12) than any other side in this year’s group stage.
Real Sociedad have made more high turnovers (70) than any other side in the Uefa Champions League this season, while only opponents Paris Saint-Germain (8.3) have a lower PPDA average (opp. passes per defensive action) than Imanol Alguacil’s side (9.6).
Kylian Mbappé has scored 43 goals in 67 appearances in the Uefa Champions League. Should he find the Paris Saint-Germain forward find the net in this game, he would overtake Raúl (43) for most goals scored in the competition while 25 or under, with only Lionel Messi (59) netting more than those two.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé has scored in each of his last five Uefa Champions League games against Spanish opposition, netting seven goals in total in these matches. In fact, Mbappé is the last player to score a hat-trick against a Spanish side in the knockout stages of the competition, having done so against Barcelona back in February 2021 (for PSG in the round of 16).
All seven of Real Sociedad’s goals in the Uefa Champions League this season have been scored by Spanish players (Brais Méndez 3, Mikel Oyarzabal 2, Mikel Merino 1 and Ander Barrenetxea 1). The last team to have more different Spanish scorers (excl. own goals) in a single campaign in the competition was 2021-22 semifinalists Villarreal (7).