The first Champions League finalist of the 2023/24 season will be revealed this evening as Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund play the second leg of their semi-final tie at the Parc des Princes in France.
The German side, underdogs before the first leg took place, will now be the favourites to progress after Niclas Fullkrug’s decisive goal at Signal Iduna Park a week ago. On a night which saw both teams create and miss a plethora of chances, Dortmund edged ahead in the tie thanks to a 1-0 win and will bring a slender lead to Paris.
However, the French champions will believe they can overturn the deficit and mount a comeback that will send them to Wembley at the end of the month. In Kylian Mbappe they have one of the best footballers on the planet and Luis Enrique’s team will be encouraged by the chances they managed to create away from home. With the crowd on their side this evening there is every chance they can pull off an upset.
Follow all the Champions League action below plus get the latest PSG vs Dortmund odds and tips right here:
Paris Saint-Germain vs Borussia Dortmund
PSG host Borussia Dortmund in Champions League semi-final second leg
Dortmund hold 1-0 aggregate lead after Niclas Fullkrug’s winning goal in Germany
Paris without Lucas Hernandez after he ruptured ACL during first leg
PSG XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz; Dembélé, Goncalo Ramos, Mbappé.
Dortmund XI: Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Emre Can, Sabitzer; Adeyemi, Brandt, Sancho; Füllkrug
33’ CLOSE! – Dembele’s strike goes over the top (PSG 0-0 DOR)
21’ SHOT! – Ryerson’s half-volley effort hits the side-netting (PSG 0-0 DOR)
Half-time! PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:47 , Mike Jones
45+1 mins: The whistle goes for the half-time break and Borussia Dortmund’s aggregate advantage is still in tact. All to play for in the second half.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:47 , Mike Jones
45 mins: Oh! PSG’s main threat is coming from long range efforts. Fabian Ruiz takes one this time and rattles an effort towards goal. It looks to be heading to the far corner but Nico Schlotterbeck gets in the way and deflects the ball behind.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:45 , Mike Jones
42 mins: Vitinha takes another shot from long range and this one is better than his first. It’s on target and has a touch of swerve but ends up in the hands of Gregor Kobel.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:41 , Mike Jones
39 mins: There’s a loud chorus of jeering from the watching fans now everytime Dortmund get the ball. They’re not happy with the way this semi-final is turning out and want to see more from there team and less from the visitors.
Donnarumma’s save could turn out to be a crucial moment in this fixture.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:37 , Mike Jones
36 mins: Save!
From one end to another. PSG nearly get the opener but the effort is blocked and Dortmund transition quickly into a counter-attack.
Karim Adeyemi is fed into the box and strikes one but Gianluigi Donnarumme makes a reaction save from close range to deny him a goal.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:33 , Mike Jones
33 mins: Close!
Kylian Mbappe receives the ball on the left side. He carries it into the box, dances around two defenders the squares a pass to Warren Zaire-Emery.
The midfielder then slips it to Ousmane Dembele who shoots and blazes his effort over the crossbar!
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:30 , Mike Jones
30 mins: Vitinha slips into a pocket of space on the inside left and attempts a curling effort towards the far top corner. He doesn’t strike it well and lifts the ball high and wide.
There’s a visible sign of frustration from the PSG midfielder who screams out after connecting with the ball and watching sail wide.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:27 , Mike Jones
27 mins: Nuno Mendes delivers an early cross after getting into space on the left wing but Mats Hummels darts across Goncalo Ramos to clear his lines.
In response Sancho gets forward and flies into the box. He looks to pull the ball back but his pass is intercepted and cleared.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:24 , Mike Jones
24 mins: The longer this match goes without Paris Saint-Germain scoring the more nervous the fans watching in the stadium will become.
Borussia Dortmund seem fairly comfortable so far with the only nervous moments coming from a corner and a counter-attack. Both were dealt with well enough.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:21 , Mike Jones
21 mins: Sancho takes on Mendes again but this time squeezes past the defender who needs some help as the winger carries the ball into the box.
PSG turn the ball out for a throw in that is sent long into the penalty area. Nicals Fullkrug holds up the ball before pulling it back to Julian Ryerson.
Ryerson runs onto it and strikes a first time shot at goal but only manages to hit the outside side netting!
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:19 , Mike Jones
18 mins: Kylian Mbappe receives a pass just inside Dortmund’s half and spin towards goal to avoid a tackle. He tries o drive on but looks up and spies a wall of yellow shirts and there are none of his teammates nearby to pass the ball to.
He’s tackled and Nico Schlotterbeck threads a lovely pass through to Marcel Sabitzer. The midfielder then plays it over to Jadon Sancho who attempts to weave past Nuno Mendes and loses possession to a well-timed tackle.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:15 , Mike Jones
15 mins: A Dortmund corner results in a PSG counter-attack after Mbappe transitions it quickly out to Fabian Ruiz. The hosts drive up the pitch but Dortmund are quick to get back into position defensively.
A pass is played across to Goncalo Ramos who shoots from range and drills his effort wide of the target.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:12 , Mike Jones
12 mins: The hosts have seen more possession over these opening stages but they haven’t been able to create a really strong chance at goal yet.
Borussia Dortmund are keeping them at bay for now but the match will only increase in intensity from here.
Karim Adeyemi sprints to close down Marquinhos who has to release a fizzing ball to Gianluigi Donnarumma. The PSG goalkeeper almost makes a hash of controlling the ball but manages to offload it out to the left side of the pitch.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:09 , Mike Jones
9 mins: PSG win the first corner of the night that Ousmane Dembele turns into the middle of the box. Mats Hummels clears the initial ball but Dembele recovers it and sends in another cross.
This time it’s Marcel Sabitzer who heads the ball for an attempted clearance but it falls to Kylian Mbappe who hits a volley at the target but picks out the goalkeeper.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:06 , Mike Jones
6 mins: What Borussia Dortmund can’t do is just let PSG dictate play. They need to push back and string together a few attacks of their own despite the home side probably controlling more of the ball.
Achraf Hakimi gets into space down the right side and puts a cross into the box. He finds Goncalo Ramos whose outstretched foot turns the ball straight at Gregor Kobel.
The goalkeeper keeps it out without too much effort.
PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:03 , Mike Jones
3 mins: Jadon Sancho ran rings around Nuno Mendes last week and will be hoping to do something similar tonight. Borussia Dortmund win a free kick just inside PSG’s half which Ian Maatsen lifts into the penalty area.
He picks out a teammate, who looks offside, but the ball is nodded softly into the hands of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Kick off! PSG 0-0 Dortmund (0-1 agg)
20:01 , Mike Jones
Goncalo Ramos gets the ball rolling at the Parc des Princes and sends it to his defence. A long cross fieeld pass comes over towards Julian Ryerson who nods it out for a PSG throw in.
PSG vs Dortmund
19:57 , Mike Jones
Here come the teams.
The players make their way out onto the pitch at the Parc des Princes. The atmosphere seems as good as it was in Dortmund which will make things difficult for the visitors.
They hold a slim lead though and will go through if they keep a clean sheet tonight.
PSG vs Dortmund
19:50 , Mike Jones
Paris St-Germain are still in with a chance of a first treble. They won the Ligue 1 title last month and face Lyon in the French Cup final later this month.
PSG haven’t won the French double since 2020.
Eight teams have won the treble of European Cup, league and domestic cup before: Ajax, Celtic, PSV, Manchester United, Manchester City, Inter Milan and Barcelona and Bayern Munich doing so twice.
PSG vs Dortmund
19:45 , Mike Jones
That 2020 tie against PSG was Dortmund’s last contest against a French club before Matchday 1.
A 2-0 success at Monaco in the 2018/19 Champions League group stage is one of only two Dortmund victories in their last 10 trips to France.
Defeat in Paris four seasons ago ended Dortmund’s three-game winning run against French opponents. The first-leg victory in this tie was their first in four matches.
Dortmund’s record in two-legged ties against French clubs is won three, lost two. They have lost their last three ties, that 2020 defeat by PSG following eliminations at the hands of Sochaux in the 2003/04 Uefa Cup second round and Monaco in the 2016/17 Champions League quarter-finals.
PSG vs Dortmund
19:40 , Mike Jones
Paris have lost the away first leg in Uefa competitions on nine previous occasions. They have won six of those ties on aggregate although they had lost two in a row before beating Dortmund in the 2019/20 Champions League round of 16.
The French club have won both ties when the away first leg has finished 0-1, both in the Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup – against Lokomotiv Sofia in the 1982/83 first round and Parma in the 1995/96 quarter-finals, when they went on to lift the trophy.
Mats Hummels on Kylian Mbappé:
19:35 , Mike Jones
“You can only defend against him as a team. With the inimitable pace he has, he can’t be countered on his own. But he’s only one part of it; you have to watch out for many others too.”
PSG vs Dortmund
19:30 , Mike Jones
Emre Can will make his 50th Champions League appearance (group stage onwards) if he features. As well as Dortmund, he has previously played in the competition for Leverkusen, Liverpool and Juventus.
PSG vs Dortmund
19:25 , Mike Jones
The teams crossed paths in the 2019/20 Champions League round of 16, Paris overturning a first-leg defeat to win 3-2 on aggregate on their way to the final, which they would lose to Bayern.
Dortmund were 2-1 winners in the opening game in Germany, Erling Haaland scoring twice on his first European appearance for the club either side of Neymar’s 75th-minute leveller.
The Brazilian struck again at the Parc des Princes to level the tie, Neymar scoring in the 28th minute before Juan Bernat got what proved to be the decisive goal of the contest a minute into first-half added time.
PSG vs Dortmund
19:20 , Mike Jones
Luis Enrique is aiming to reach his second Champions League final as a coach, having previously done so with Barcelona in 2015.
PSG vs Dortmund
19:15 , Mike Jones
Kylian Mbappé has scored eight goals in the Champions League this season, matching his highest-ever tally recorded in the 2020/21 season.
He needs two goals to reach the total of 50 in the Champions League.
PSG vs Dortmund
19:10 , Mike Jones
Paris were victorious at the Parc des Princes in September thanks to goals early in the second half from Kylian Mbappé and former Dortmund full-back Achraf Hakimi.
The French side needed a 56th-minute equaliser from Warren Zaïre-Emery to rescue that crucial 1-1 draw in Dortmund in December with Karim Adeyemi having put the home side in front five minutes earlier.
PSG vs Dortmund
19:05 , Mike Jones
PSG are in the last four for the third time in five seasons and the fourth overall – but have won only one of their previous contests at this stage, in 2019/20, and none over two legs.
The winners of this tie will play Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the final at Wembley on 1 June.
PSG vs Dortmund
19:00 , Mike Jones
Luis Enrique makes a couple of changes to the PSG team that lined-up against Borussia Dortmund in the first leg. Lucas Hernandez is injured so Lucas Beraldo slots into the defence with Goncalo Ramos preferred up top as Bradley Barcola takes a spot on the bench.
Borussia Dortmund are unchanged.
PSG vs Dortmund line-ups
18:55 , Mike Jones
PSG XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz; Dembélé, Goncalo Ramos, Mbappé.
Dortmund XI: Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Emre Can, Sabitzer; Adeyemi, Brandt, Sancho; Füllkrug
PSG vs Dortmund
18:50 , Mike Jones
The fans are already gathering around the Parc des Princes and look up for an exciting night of European football. Which way will this one go?
PSG vs Dortmund
18:47 , Mike Jones
This is Dortmund’s fourth Champions League semi-final and a first since reaching the final in 2012/13, when they were beaten by Bayern Munich in the decider at Wembley.
Enrique on the job PSG must do tonight:
18:40 , Mike Jones
“You could score twice in two minutes, but you could also concede a goal,” Enrique said in relation to his team’s aims for tonight’s match.
“We have to be 100% focused on attack and defence. If we concede a goal, it is not serious, we have to stay calm. If we score twice very quickly, our opponents will have to react.
“It will be an even game with a high level of play on and off the ball, so it will be tough for both teams.”
Terzic on the group game in Paris:
18:35 , Mike Jones
“We hadn’t really found ourselves then. We lacked courage in many areas. In the two games [against Paris] in Dortmund, we showed that we can play very differently against PSG.”
Dortmund coach, Edin Terzić on planning for tonight’s game:
18:30 , Mike Jones
“We have to do everything together – with a good plan, with a good idea. Paris will certainly be better than last week. We want to earn this ticket to the final.
“We will tackle that together.”
PSG vs Dortmund
18:25 , Mike Jones
The first leg was the teams’ third meeting of the season with PSG winning 2-0 in France on the first matchday of the Champions League before the teams met again in Germany on matchday six with Dortmund already through to the round of 16.
PSG needed a 1-1 draw in second meeting to join their hosts in the knockout rounds with Dortmund finishing on 11 points, three above their French visitors, who edged out AC Milan on head-to-head record.
Dortmund unlock the joy of Jadon Sancho after Manchester United nightmare
18:20 , Mike Jones
As the Borussia Dortmund players eventually left the pitch after their customary serenading by the yellow wall, there was only one player everyone was talking about. There was only one player everyone wanted to talk to, as well.
By the time broadcast media eventually got to Jadon Sancho, he was inevitably asked about Manchester United. It didn’t seem like the time or place, as he made clear. He gave the right answer: “I’m focused on the present right now.”
How couldn’t he be? He’d just delivered one of the performances of the Champions League knockout stages in repeatedly destroying Paris Saint-Germain, especially the hapless Nuno Mendes. It was tortuous to watch the defender. It was exhilarating to watch Sancho. This was the player many had been waiting for.
Dortmund unlock the joy of Jadon Sancho after Manchester United nightmare
‘On va a gagner’
18:15 , Mike Jones
“On va a gagner. It’s the only phrase I know in French: we are going to win,” claimed PSG coach Luis Enrigue.
“A coach is a leader, and he is someone who must generate confidence for his players. I work every day to try to achieve that. The idea is to play in the same way as the first leg, and we are not going to change our mentality at all.”
Enrique on getting backing of PSG fans:
18:10 , Mike Jones
“The role of the supporters tomorrow will be as vital as it has been all season and I have no doubt that they will be fully behind us.
“In Dortmund the atmosphere was incredible and we expect the same tomorrow at Parc des Princes, hoping that we can all celebrate together at the end.”
Luis Enrique explains PSG’s sole focus for tonight’s match:
18:05 , Mike Jones
“The aim isn’t to win by two goals, but to win,” said Enrique, “If you think you have to score two goals that seems like a big target.
“We just want to play and score. If we score in the 89th minute, it will carry on. We don’t need to score right away, we just want to win the game.”
Paris Saint-Germain are confident they can win
18:00 , Mike Jones
Marquinhos spoke about how his team are confident that they can get a result this evening and reach the Champions League final adding:
“The confidence we possess comes from the work we have done all season.It doesn’t necessarily come from the result of the first leg but more from our previous efforts, from the preparation, and from the atmosphere that we know the supporters will create at Parc des Princes.
“Dortmund are a great rival and it is going to be a very difficult game.”
Marquinhos on improving on first leg defeat:
17:55 , Mike Jones
“We have to impose our style, the one we have had since the beginning of the season. We’ll give everything to play a good game and generate chances like in the second half of the first leg.
“We have worked a lot and we know the details that need to be improved.”
PSG defender Marquinhos previews tonight’s clash:
17:50 , Mike Jones
“Our experience will be important in this match. The coach knows how to manage these type of games, and we must approach it with a good energy to play at our best.
“Every game and every season has its own story.”
Who will reach the Champions League final?
17:45 , Mike Jones
There is now a very real chance that Borussia Dortmund could reach their first final since 2013 when they lost out to Bayern Munich.
This season’s showpiece is at Wembley, just like in 2013, and their opponents could again be domestic rivals Bayern.
However, PSG will be throwing everything at this game to avoid that outcome as they continue their quest for an elusive first Champions League crown.
The closest they’ve come so far was defeat in the 2020 showpiece when they went down 1-0 to Bayern.
What happened in the first leg?
17:40 , Mike Jones
Borussia Dortmund claimed a 1-0 first-leg win courtesy of Niclas Fullkrug’s fine first-half finish, a rare spark of quality on a night that promised much and delivered less in terms of goals scored.
Kylian Mbappé and Achraf Hakimi were both denied by the woodwork as Paris pressed for an equaliser but Dortmund clung on to pole position ahead of the return.
“That’s football,” said Paris coach Luis Enrique after the match. “Sometimes it’s wonderful, and then other times, that’s how it goes. We’ll have to analyse the chances created by both teams.”
Where is the 2024 Champions League final?
17:35 , Mike Jones
The European champions will be crowned at the conclusion of the 2023/24 Champions League season with the final being held at London’s prestigious Wembley Stadium on Saturday 1 June.
The winners gain a place in the 2024/25 Champions League group stage, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition.
Dortmund coach, Edin Terzić, speaking ahead of the game:
17:30 , Mike Jones
“You have to earn your way to Wembley. All we need now is a draw in the second leg, but we also want to win.
“We have a small lead and a good opportunity. We have to do everything together – with a good plan, with a good idea. Paris will certainly be better than last week.
“We want to earn this ticket to the final. We will tackle that together.”
Pre-match thoughts from PSG caoch Luis Enrique
17:25 , Mike Jones
“The goal is to reach the final, and to do that we have to be better than a great team like Dortmund. There is always room for improvement and we have worked on it.
“Two goals can be scored in three seconds, but we can also concede two goals in that time. ‘On va a gagner’. It’s the only phrase I know in French:
“We are going to win.”
The contradiction at the heart of Borussia Dortmund’s unlikely Champions League fairytale
17:20 , Mike Jones
The fifth best team in Germany are one of the four best in Europe. In one respect, anyway. Welcome to the confusing world of Borussia Dortmund, at their highest ebb in continental competition for more than a decade and set for their lowest Bundesliga finish in nine years.
The surprise Champions League semi-finalists gained more than just a first-leg lead against Paris Saint-Germain last week. In a world of coefficient calculations, their victory made it mathematically certain Germany will have five places in next year’s Champions League. And Dortmund are fifth, unlikely to finish higher, guaranteed not to come lower.
The alternative method into next season’s Champions League, which would have long sounded too implausible to invoke, entails winning this year’s competition.
Now Dortmund are a draw and a win away from a triumph that would be a throwback: to the days when, in 1997, they were the underdogs who won the final, or 1982 and 2005 when Aston Villa and Liverpool could finish 30 and 37 points respectively behind the winners of their domestic leagues and yet conquer Europe. Some 24 points off the pace in Germany, Dortmund are not the finest team in North Rhine-Westphalia, let alone Europe. And yet they are two results from a glory few envisaged.
The contradiction at the heart of Dortmund’s unlikely Champions League fairytale
PSG vs Dortmund prediction
17:15 , Mike Jones
Borussia Dortmund managed to come away with a win in the first leg though they could only muster one goal at Signal Iduna Park which may come back to haunt them this evening.
It will be a different and difficult atmosphere in the Parc des Princes and one that should encourage PSG to go on the attack. If Dortmund can score they’ll be the favourites to progress but the more likely scenario is the the hosts cut the deficit and sneak through with the help of a clean sheet.
PSG 2-0 Dortmund (2-1 agg).
PSG vs Dortmund predicted line-ups
17:10 , Mike Jones
PSG XI: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, Fabián Ruiz; Dembélé, Mbappé, Barcola
Dortmund XI: Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Can, Sabitzer; Adeyemi, Brandt, Sancho; Füllkrug
What is the early team news?
17:05 , Mike Jones
PSG are without Lucas Hernandez, who ruptured his ACL in the first leg and has been ruled out on this summer’s Euros as a result. Presnell Kimbembe remains out too, which means Brazil international Lucas Beraldo is likely to come in to defence and Nuno Mendes will once again have to face Jadon Sancho.
Borussia Dortmund could be unchanged from the first leg. Julien Duranville and Ramy Bensebaini are out but they have no other fitness issues.
How to watch PSG vs Dortmund
17:00 , Mike Jones
The match will kick off at 8pm BST (9pm local) at the Parc des Princes, Paris.
It will be shown live on TNT Sports 1, while customers can also stream the action live on discovery+. You can purchase a TNT Sports subscription via discovery+ here, for only £30.99 per month.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch major sporting events, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.
We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Good afternoon!
14:29 , Mike Jones
Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Champions League action as the semi-finals continue with the second leg of Paris Saint-Germain’s tie against Borussia Dortmund.
This evening’s encounter takes place at the Parc des Princes in Paris with Dortmund bringing a slim one-goal advantage into the game after Niclas Fullkrug’s winning strike a week ago.
The match at the Signal Iduna Park saw both teams create and miss plenty of chances in an open affair that could have swung either way if the attackers were more clinical. Dortmund were encouraged by the Yellow Wall of supporters a week ago but this evening they will be up against PSG home support who will believe a comeback is on the cards.
Paris defender Lucas Hernandez misses the match due to a ruptured ACL but Luis Enrique’s side will be more than ready to overturn their deficit and make a run for the final at Wembley.
We’ll have all the updates, team news and live action throughout the evening so stick around as we build up to kick off at 8pm.
