Here’s our saga. The 5 good reasons to follow a match (with some adaptations). We’ll take a look at what’s attractive before each match, with a mix of seriousness and humor. Mind you, this is by no means an exhaustive tour of the subject. We continue here with the match between Paris Saint-Germain (1st) and Botafogo (2nd) this Friday at the Rose Bowl Stadium, as part of Day 2 of the Club World Cup (kick-off 3am CET, PSG/Botafogo broadcast on DAZN).
5 – John Textor launched the “hostilities.
It goes back a bit, but John Textor, owner and president of Olympique Lyonnais, sent out a dig as owner of the Botafogo club after winning the Copa Libertadores and the Brazilian championship.
At the time, he described PSG as a “small team”. It was a tense period, you can move on, and he was keen to get noticed. But a good response on the pitch could do him a world of good.
4 – A great opportunity to pull an all-nighter.
With a match at 3 a.m., you need to be able to cut the night short, or even not sleep at all, in order to follow the match live. Some people have the idea of pulling an all-nighter at least once, and this is a great opportunity to do just that, with an attractive PSG match that could yet be spectacular.
3- Confirm again.
Paris is coming off another fine performance against Atlético Madrid, with a 4-0 victory. Inevitably, it will be eagerly awaited once again. This will always be the case for the Parisians, winners of the Champions League 2024-2025. They must always aim to be at the top of their game, and continue to progress collectively.
And, of course, the desire to win again. They’ve achieved great things, but there’s still more to do to make history. Both collectively and individually.
2 – Gonçalo Ramos needs to score points.
The striker, who turns 24 this Friday, is not putting in “bad” performances. But he’s not as “brilliant” as some of his team-mates. Against Atlético Madrid, he should have been sharper, more effective in certain situations. Even if his defensive efforts do count for something.
With 28-year-old striker Ousmane Dembélé still out of action, Ramos is likely to get some game time again. He should make the most of it, whether it’s for a move to PSG or a possible transfer should he tire of his difficult position as understudy on a big night. It’s up to him to show that he can start too.
1 – The show must go on.
PSG have made a habit of putting on intense, entertaining matches, so we hope this continues. It’s quite possible, with all their attacking potential and high standards.
All the more so with Botafogo, a team whose defense has not shown any immense certainty despite the 2-1 victory over Seattle Sounders on the opening day. Pace and goals are the keys to fighting off sleep.
