Preview:Paris Saint-Germain vs Atalanta BC - prediction, team news, lineups

Kicking off the defence of their crown, Paris Saint-Germain return to Champions League action on Wednesday, when Atalanta BC visit Parc des Princes.

Last season, PSG finally broke through and lifted the trophy thanks to a spectacular success in the final, and they now begin the 2025-26 league phase at home to La Dea.

Match preview

Luis Enrique's reign has produced PSG's greatest era so far, with the perennial French champions finally landing the big prize in May.

Having won a domestic double during his first season, the Spanish coach then steered his young squad to a treble by claiming top spot in Ligue 1, then the Coupe de France, and finally a cherished continental triumph.

After a slow start, the Paris club came through the league phase and then beat the best England had to offer, before clinically taking Inter Milan apart and recording the biggest-ever Champions League final victory.

Only the new-look Club World Cup eluded them, as a shock defeat in the decider ended dreams of an incredible quadruple.

Following a brief summer break, PSG pipped Tottenham Hotspur to the UEFA Super Cup and have since resumed normal service in France, securing two 1-0 wins to start the 2025-26 season before putting six goals past Toulouse.

At the weekend, Bradley Barcola's brace saw off Lens at Parc des Princes, where Les Parisiens now commence their Champions League title defence.

PSG have played their first opponents just once before, winning 2-1 in the 2020 quarter-finals - played as a one-off fixture in Lisbon due to COVID-19 restrictions - and they will expect a similar outcome on Wednesday.

That run to the last eight may still be Atalanta's best yet in UEFA's top tournament, but they have continued to overachieve.

Europa League winners in 2024, the Bergamo club reached the Champions League knockout playoffs last season, before their campaign began to fall apart.

Having compiled a club-record 11-match winning streak to top Serie A at Christmas - and posted both their biggest European home win (5-0 against Sturm Graz) and away win (6-1 versus Young Boys) - they could not last the pace.

An underwhelming Champions League exit to Club Brugge sparked a major downturn, and they ended up third in Italy's top flight - albeit with a club-best points total.

As expected, Gian Piero Gasperini then ended a nine-year reign of unprecedented success, handing over to his former player at Genoa, Ivan Juric.

The Croatian coach's only experience in continental competition came during last season's Europa League, when he won just one of four games during an ill-fated spell at Roma - Gasperini's next destination.

Juric clearly has a point to prove after subsequently failing at Southampton, and it took him three attempts to produce a first league win: following draws with Parma and Pisa, La Dea defeated Lecce 4-1 on Sunday.

Now, handed the toughest of tasks on matchday one, he must try to extend Atalanta's impressive record on the road: the Bergamaschi have scored in all of their last 15 European group or league away games and are unbeaten in eight.

Paris Saint-Germain form (all competitions):

W W W W W

Atalanta BC form (all competitions):

D D W

Team News

Paris Saint-Germain were able to rest several players against Lens - and the likes of Nuno Mendes and captain Marquinhos will now return - but their list of likely absentees for Wednesday still grew.

Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue had already returned hurt from the international break, while another key cog in PSG's attacking machine is now struggling with a calf problem.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was joined on the sidelines by Lee Kang-in and Lucas Beraldo, both of whom injured an ankle on Sunday - it remains to be seen if they can recover. In better news for Luis Enrique, Spain midfielder Fabian Ruiz should be fit enough to start.

Meanwhile, Atalanta boss Ivan Juric has suggested former Paris target Ademola Lookman is not yet ready to return from self-imposed exile.

Lookman's fellow forward Gianluca Scamacca recently withdrew from Italy duty with knee inflammation and remains a doubt, so Nikola Krstovic should link up with Charles De Ketelaere in attack.

Krstovic has yet to find the net since replacing Serie A's 2024-25 Capocannoniere Mateo Retegui, but De Ketelaere scored twice at the weekend and registered nine goal involvements from 10 Champions League games last term.

Elsewhere, Ederson (knee) is still missing from La Dea's midfield, while experienced defender Sead Kolasinac continues his recovery from an ACL injury.

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Chevalier; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Mbaye, Ramos, Barcola

Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:

Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Hien, Djimsiti; Bellanova, De Roon, Pasalic, Zalewski; De Ketelaere, Maldini; Krstovic