PSG v Barcelona prediction: Parc des Princes heavyweights meet with both unbeaten

Six points from two games, a goal difference of plus seven apiece and the top two places in the Champions League table. That is what PSG and Barcelona bring to the Parc des Princes on Tuesday.

PSG sit first and Barcelona second, separated only by the fact that the hosts have scored 10 to Barcelona's nine.

It is still early in the league stage, so nobody is going to be eliminated or crowned in October.

However, a win here would put a very large marker down in the race for a top-eight finish and a straight route into the last 16.

The pair have also met in this competition each of the last few seasons, and they rarely do it quietly.

PSG have won both of their games, starting with a 6-1 home thrashing of Slovan Bratislava and following it with a 4-2 win away at Manchester City last week.

That adds up to 10 goals scored and three conceded, with an average of 12 shots on target a game. They are yet to keep a clean sheet.

Barcelona have also won both, beating Feyenoord 5-1 at home and Galatasaray 4-1 away last Tuesday.

Their nine goals came from an expected-goals figure of 2.48 a game, while their expected goals against of 0.47 a game suggests they have been a little more watertight than the two conceded implies.

Rotation is rarely a big talking point in the league stage when both teams are perfect, and it is hard to see either side holding anything back.

Both have played just twice, and Barcelona were in action on Tuesday, a day before PSG's trip to Manchester, so the rest days are broadly level.

With first and second place at stake, you have to feel both will go close to full strength, with only the injury list forcing changes.

If anything, PSG's absences in goal and midfield look more disruptive than any tactical choice.

PSG (4-3-3): Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, João Neves, Fabián Ruiz; Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia, Doué.

Barcelona (4-3-3): Joan García; Koundé, Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Balde; de Jong, Pedri, Dani Olmo; Yamal, Raphinha, Gordon.

Both teams have used a 4-3-3 in each of their league stage games so far. Neither side is likely to wander far from it.

Kick-off at the Parc des Princes is 20:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October, and the game is shown on TNT Sports where selected, with TNT Sports 2 listed for this fixture.

It is a league stage match, so there is no second leg to worry about. If level after 90 minutes, the result stands as a draw, with no extra time or penalties.