Real Madrid v Paris facts

Successive victories have revived Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League challenge and they will now be looking to turn the tables on already-qualified Paris Saint-Germain, who subjected them to a heavy loss on Matchday 1 and will clinch first place in Group A if they avoid defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu.

• Former Madrid player Ángel Di María led the Paris charge in the reverse fixture, scoring twice in the first half before Thomas Meunier crowned a dominant display with an added-time third. That was the first of Paris's four wins in the section, in which they are still to concede a goal, with a 1-0 home victory against Club Brugge last time out securing qualification; they have 12 points, five more than second-placed Madrid, meaning a draw will be enough to take them into the round of 16 as group winners.

• Madrid took only one point from their first two Group A games, but two contrasting victories against Galatasaray on Matchdays 3 and 4 have given them a five-point advantage over third-placed Club Brugge. Zinédine Zidane's side will be through if they beat Paris, or if Club Brugge fail to win at Galatasaray in the other Matchday 5 fixture.

Previous meetings
• Four of the teams' previous nine matches have ended in a Real Madrid win – including three in a row before Matchday 1 – while Paris have three victories. Paris have now, however, outscored their opponents, hitting 12 goals to Madrid's 11.

• Before this season, the teams last crossed paths in the round of 16 of Madrid's victorious 2017/18 UEFA Champions League campaign, the Spanish giants winning 3-1 in Spain with Marcelo on the scoresheet and 2-1 in Paris, Edinson Cavani scoring for the home side and Casemiro finding the net for Madrid.

• Madrid's 2015/16 UEFA Champions League triumph had also featured a win against Paris, a 1-0 group stage victory at the Santiago Bernabéu in which Nacho got the only goal. The game at the Parc des Princes had finished goalless.

• Paris have lost three of their four away games against Madrid, the exception their UEFA Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final first leg in March 1994 when George Weah scored the only goal at the Bernabéu. That was their last win against the Spanish side before this season; the Matchday 1 success was their first in six matches against Madrid (D2 L3).

Form guide
Real Madrid
• Having been beaten in Paris, Madrid had to come from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Club Brugge in their second fixture. They then won 1-0 away to Galatasaray and 6-0 at home against the Turkish club, their biggest home win in the UEFA Champions League since December 2015.

• The Spanish giants have nevertheless lost three of their last seven UEFA Champions League matches – conceding three or more goals in each of those defeats, and 13 in that seven-game sequence.

• Last season Madrid finished first in their section ahead of Roma, Viktoria Plzeň and CSKA Moskva, picking up 12 points from their six matches. A team then coached by Santiago Solari won 2-1 at Ajax in the round of 16 first leg, but bowed out 5-3 on aggregate after a 4-1 home defeat.

• Last season was the first since 2009/10 in which Madrid had failed to reach the semi-finals or better. This is the 13-time champions' 50th European Cup campaign, more than any other side.

• The Matchday 4 dismantling of Galatasaray was only Madrid's third win in their last eight European Bernabéu fixtures (D2 L3) – although they have been beaten in only four of their last 48 UEFA Champions League home matches (W37).

• Rodrygo's hat-trick against Galatasaray was the 12th scored by a Real Madrid player in the competition, one fewer than record holders Barcelona. He is only the fifth Madrid player to achieve the feat – after Raúl González, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo (7) and Karim Benzema (2) – and, at 18 years 301 days, the second-youngest UEFA Champions League hat-trick scorer after Raúl, who was aged 18 years 113 days when he scored his solitary treble against Ferencváros in 1995/96.

• Defeat in Paris on Matchday 1 ended Madrid's 11-match unbeaten run against French opposition (W8 D3), going back to a 1-0 loss at Lyon in the 2009/10 round of 16 first leg (1-2 aggregate).

• The Merengues had conceded only two goals in seven games against French sides before shipping three at Paris in September; they scored 15 goals themselves in that seven-game period (W6 D1).

• That 1994 defeat by Paris is the Merengues' only reverse in their 15 matches at home to Ligue 1 visitors (W11 D3). They have won their last five home matches, scoring 15 goals and conceding one.

• Third in Spain in 2018/19, this is Madrid's 24th UEFA Champions League campaign – a joint record along with Barcelona. They have qualified for the knockout rounds in all of their 23 seasons, also a competition best.

Paris
• After beating Madrid, Mauro Icardi's first goal for Paris earned a 1-0 success at Galatasaray in the French club's 100th UEFA Champions League game. They then beat Club Brugge away (5-0) and home (1-0), the third time Paris have won all of their first four games in a UEFA Champions League group after 1994/95 – when they won all six – and 2017/18.

• Paris and Bayern München (Group B) are the only sides with maximum points after four matches; the French side are the only club yet to concede a goal. No team has ever kept six clean sheets in a UEFA Champions League group stage.

• Ligue 1 champions for the sixth time in seven years in 2018/19, and eighth time overall, this is the French side's eighth successive UEFA Champions League campaign.

• Semi-finalists in 1995, Paris have been knocked out in the round of 16 in the last three seasons – having been eliminated in the quarter-finals in the four previous campaigns.

• In 2018/19, Paris finished first in a section including eventual champions Liverpool, Napoli and Crvena zvezda, and looked set to reach the quarter-finals after a 2-0 first-leg victory at Manchester United in the round of 16, only to bow out on away goals following a 3-1 home defeat.

• Paris picked up four points on their travels in Group C last season, losing at Liverpool (2-3) and drawing at Napoli (1-1) before a 4-1 victory at Crvena zvezda on Matchday 6. They also won 2-0 at Manchester United in the round of 16 first leg, the wins at Galatasaray and Club Brugge making it six victories in their last ten away UEFA Champions League fixtures (D1 L3) and four in a row.

• Paris have won eight of their last ten UEFA Champions League matches (L2) and have now scored in 28 consecutive games in the competition.

• Paris have won only two of their last ten matches against Spanish clubs, home and away (D1 L7).

• Their last game in Spain was that 3-1 loss at Madrid in February 2018; that made it five successive defeats away to Liga clubs, with three goals scored and 15 conceded.

Links and trivia
• Madrid coach Zidane faced Paris four times as a player for Bordeaux and Juventus (W2 D1 L1).

• Thomas Tuchel was Borussia Dortmund coach for their 2-2 draws home and away against Madrid in the 2016/17 group stage.

• Keylor Navas was in goal for Real Madrid's three successive UEFA Champions League victories between 2016 and 2018; he made 162 appearances for the Merengues between 2014 and joining Paris this summer, winning the Liga title in 2016/17, two UEFA Super Cups (2014, 2017) and four FIFA Club World Cups (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018).

• Alphonse Areola made 75 Ligue 1 appearances for Paris between 2013 and 2019, before joining Madrid on loan this summer. He played in both legs of the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie, and won three Ligue 1 titles, two French Cups and two French League Cups. He spent 2015/16 on loan at Villarreal, making 32 Liga appearances including a 1-0 home win against Madrid on 13 December 2015.

• Di María made 124 Liga appearances for Madrid between 2010 and 2015, scoring 22 goals, and was named man of the match as the Merengues lifted their tenth European title in 2014 with a 4-1 victory over neighbours Atlético Madrid.

• Pablo Sarabia was a Real Madrid youth and B team player between 2004 and 2011, making his only first-team appearance as a second-half substitute in a 4-0 UEFA Champions League group win against Auxerre in December 2010.

• Ferland Mendy was a youth player at Paris between 2004 and 2012.

• James Rodríguez scored Porto's winner in a 1-0 defeat of Paris in the 2012/13 UEFA Champions League group stage.

• Julian Draxler's Wolfsburg beat Madrid 2-0 in the first leg of the 2015/16 quarter finals; he was also in the side that succumbed to a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick in a 3-0 second-leg turnaround in Spain.

• Raphaël Varane's fifth game in the Lens first team was a Coupe de France tie at Paris in January 2011; his side lost 5-1. Varane did help Lens to a 0-0 Ligue 1 draw at the Parc des Princes the following month.

• Karim Benzema faced Paris seven times during his time in France with Lyon (W4 D2 L1). He was part of the Lyon team that beat Paris 1-0 in the Coupe de France final in May 2008.

• Marcelo scored Madrid's goal in a 3-1 defeat by Paris in an Ohio friendly in 2016.

• International team-mates:
Éder Militão, Casemiro, Marcelo & Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Neymar (Brazil)
Ferland Mendy, Alphonse Areola, Raphaël Varane & Layvin Kurzawa, Presnel Kimpembe, Kylian Mbappé (France)
Toni Kroos & Julian Draxler, Thilo Kehrer (Germany)
Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Nacho, Marco Asensio, Isco, Lucas Vázquez & Sergio Rico, Juan Bernat, Pablo Sarabia, Ander Herrera (Spain)
Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard & Thomas Meunier (Belgium)
Federico Valverde & Edinson Cavani (Uruguay)

• Have also played in France:
Karim Benzema (Lyon 2005–09)
Raphaël Varane (Lens 2010/11)
Ferland Mendy (Le Havre 2015–17, Lyon 2017–19)
James Rodríguez (Monaco 2013/14)
Mariano Díaz (Lyon 2017/18)
Eden Hazard (LOSC Lille 2005–12)

• Have also played in Spain:
Neymar (Barcelona 2013–17)
Juan Bernat (Valencia 2011–14)
Pablo Sarabia (Getafe 2011–16, Sevilla 2016–19)
Ander Herrera (Real Zaragoza 2008–11, Athletic Club 2011–14)

• Icardi played in Spain for Sarratea, Vecindario and Barcelona at youth level.

• Have played together:
James Rodríguez & Juan Bernat (Bayern München 2017/18)

Latest news

Real Madrid
• Marcelo made his 100th appearance in UEFA club competition on Matchday 4.

• Rodrygo is the youngest scorer in this season's UEFA Champions League, having been 18 years 301 days when he scored his Matchday 4 hat-trick against Galatasaray.

• Madrid were 3-1 winners at home to Real Sociedad on Saturday despite conceding for the first time in six matches in all competitions to go 1-0 down after two minutes. They have scored 18 goals in their last five matches.

• Madrid have also kept eight clean sheets in their last 12 matches.

• Luka Modrić scored Madrid's third goal on Saturday, having provided assists for the first two – the first time he had been involved in three goals in a Madrid match.

• Karim Benzema, who opened the scoring on Saturday, has six goals in his last five Madrid games in all competitions. Those include his 50th UEFA Champions League goal for Madrid in the 6-0 win against Galatasaray – only Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raúl González have scored more in the competition for a single club.

• Benzema has scored 25 league goals in 2019, level with Kylian Mbappé and fewer only than Lionel Messi (29) and Robert Lewandowski (28) in Europe's top five leagues.

• Gareth Bale made his comeback from injury in Wales's 2-0 victory in Azerbaijan on 16 November in UEFA EURO 2020 qualifying; three days later, he helped Wales to a 2-0 home win against Hungary that booked their place at next summer's final tournament. He had not played since scoring in Wales's 1-1 UEFA EURO 2020 qualifying draw with Croatia on 13 October due to a calf injury.

• On 16 November Modrić played 90 minutes as Croatia won 3-1 against Slovakia to secure UEFA EURO 2020 qualification.

• The same day, Toni Kroos scored twice in Germany's 4-0 victory over Belarus that booked their place at UEFA EURO 2020.

• Belgium captain Eden Hazard scored twice in a 4-1 UEFA EURO 2020 qualifying victory in Russia on 16 November, Thibaut Courtois also playing.

• Raphäel Varane captained France and scored his team's equaliser as they came from behind to beat Moldova 2-1 on 14 November; three days later, the centre-back played another 90 minutes as the world champions beat Albania 2-0 to clinch first place in their UEFA EURO 2020 qualifying group.

• On 15 November, Sergio Ramos captained Spain as they secured their place at UEFA EURO 2020 with a 7-0 victory over Malta.

• Knee injuries mean Nacho and James Rodríguez have not played since Matchday 2 and 3 respectively.

• Marco Asensio is a long-term absentee having ruptured knee ligaments in a pre-season friendly against Arsenal on 24 July.

Paris
• Julian Draxler made his 50th appearance in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final, on Matchday 4.

• Paris have won 16 of their 19 matches in all competitions in 2019/20, losing the other three. They were 2-0 victors at home to LOSC Lille on Friday night.

• Mauro Icardi opened the scoring against LOSC, and has ten games in his last nine Paris appearances.

• Paris have lost eight Ligue 1 games in 2019, their worst tally in a calendar year since suffering 13 defeats in 2010. They last lost three of their first 12 league matches in 2010/11.

• Keylor Navas suffered a hamstring injury during the warm-up before the 2-1 win at Brest on 9 November, returning against LOSC on Friday. Sergio Rico made his Paris debut in his place against Brest.

• Kylian Mbappé missed the match at Brest, but played 90 minutes as France defeated Moldova on 14 November. He was a substitute against LOSC.

• A knee injury meant Marco Verratti sat out Italy's recent internationals, and the LOSC game.

• Ander Herrera has not played since Matchday 4 due to a thigh injury.

• Thomas Meunier played 65 minutes against LOSC, his first appearance since Matchday 3 due to a thigh injury.

• Thilo Kehrer has been out since 11 August with a foot injury.

• Neymar made his return from injury on Friday having not played since suffering a thigh injury early in Brazil's friendly against Nigeria on 13 October. He has four goals in six Ligue 1 matches this season.

• Neymar has scored 38 goals in 43 Ligue 1 appearances for Paris, who have never lost a league game in which the Brazilian has found the net (W26 D3).

• Mbappé was out between out since 25 August and 28 September due to a problem with his left hamstring; since returning to action, he has scored seven goals and provided two assists in 231 minutes of pitch time.

• Edinson Cavani, who was sidelined by a hip injury between 25 August and 27 October, scored in Uruguay's November friendlies against Hungary (2-1) and Argentina (2-2) having made his first Ligue 1 start since 18 August at Brest.

• Pablo Sarabia scored his first goal for Spain in a 7-0 home win against Malta on 15 November.

• Paris won the French Super Cup on 3 August, defeating French Cup winners Rennes 2-1 thanks to goals from Mbappé and Ángel Di María. It was Paris's ninth win in the competition and their seventh in a row, a new record.