Preview: Athletic Bilbao vs Paris Saint-Germain - prediction, team news, lineups

Paris Saint-Germain will be aiming to record their fifth win in the league stage of the 2025-26 Champions League when they head to San Mames on Wednesday to tackle Athletic Bilbao.

The reigning European champions are second in the overall table, boasting 12 points from their first five matches, while Athletic are down in 27th spot, picking up four points from five games.

Match preview

Athletic have found it difficult in the Champions League this season, only picking up four points from their five matches, which has left them down in 27th spot in the overall table.

That said, the Basque outfit are only two points off 24th-placed FC Pafos in the battle for the playoffs, and four points have been secured from their last three games in the tournament, beating Qarabag at home on October 22 and drawing with Slavia Prague either side of a loss to Newcastle United.

Ernesto Valverde's side have found it difficult to show their best form during the 2025-26 campaign, with that also being true in La Liga, picking up 23 points from 16 matches, which is only enough for seventh spot in the division, eight points off the top four.

Athletic will enter this match off the back of a morale-boosting result, though, beating Atletico Madrid 1-0 on Saturday, with Alex Berenguer netting the only goal of the contest late on.

The Lions will finish their Champions League league stage campaign with matches against Atalanta BC and Sporting Lisbon in January - a win here would leave them in a solid spot in the division heading into those fixtures at the start of 2026.

PSG have been far from perfect in the Champions League this season, and they have actually conceded eight times in their five matches in the 2025-26 competition, including three in an incredible game against Tottenham Hotspur last time out, ultimately running out 5-3 winners.

Luis Enrique's side lost at home to Bayern Munich in the tournament at the start of November, meanwhile, but 12 points from five matches has left them in second spot in the Champions League table, three points behind the only 100% team in the competition - Arsenal.

PSG are the leading goalscorers in the Champions League this term, netting 19 times, but Enrique will certainly be looking to iron out the defensive issues in the coming months, as it could well cost them in the latter stages of the tournament.

Les Parisiens are not actually top of the French league, with 33 points from 15 matches leaving them second in the Ligue 1 table, one point behind the leaders Lens, and the French champions lost their last away match against Monaco at the end of November.

That said, PSG will enter this match off the back of a strong result, beating Rennes 5-0 on Saturday, and Enrique will be demanding another three points in this contest.

Athletic Bilbao Champions League form:

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Athletic Bilbao form (all competitions):

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PSG Champions League form:

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PSG form (all competitions):

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Team News

Athletic will be without the services of Aitor Paredes through suspension, with the defender picking up his third yellow card in the league stage against Slavia Prague last time out.

Yeray Alvarez is serving a long-term suspension for a doping violation, while Robert Navarro, Benat Prados, Unai Egiluz, Maroan Sannadi and Inaki Williams are on the sidelines through injury.

Aymeric Laporte is also out due to the injury that he suffered against Atletico on Saturday, but there will be a spot in the final third of the field for Nico Williams.

As for PSG, Lucas Hernandez will miss the match through suspension following his red card against Tottenham on matchday five.

Desire Doue and Achraf Hakimi are definitely out of the game through injury, while Nuno Mendes, Lucas Beraldo and Lucas Chevalier need to be assessed.

Ousmane Dembele is yet to start in the Champions League this season due to injury, but the Frenchman is set to be involved from the first whistle on Wednesday night, while Bradley Barcola could start as the false nine for the reigning European champions.

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:

Simon; Areso, Vivian, Lekue, Berchiche; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; Berenguer, Sancet, N Williams; Guruzeta

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Chevalier; Zaire-Emery, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Dembele, Barcola, Kvaratskhelia

We say: Athletic Bilbao 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain

Athletic's defensive issues are a real concern heading into this match, and we are finding it incredibly difficult to back the hosts to pick up a positive result against a slick PSG outfit.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.