Botafogo’s high foul rate is largely driven by Gregore. The defensive midfielder is a true "ball hunter"—an aggressive presence in midfield who throws himself into almost every duel, a pattern we’re likely to see repeated this Thursday.

In Botafogo’s Club World Cup opener against the Seattle Sounders, Gregore committed five fouls over the 90 minutes—the second-highest tally in the first round, behind only Al-Ahly’s Attia, who registered seven.

In the current Brazilian league campaign, Gregore leads the competition in total fouls, with 41 in just 10 matches—16 more than the next player on the list. He also topped this statistic in the 2024 season, racking up 91 fouls across 33 appearances.

Against a much more dynamic and technically gifted PSG side, Gregore’s numbers could well climb. He’ll be tasked with disrupting an attack featuring the likes of Kvaratskhelia, Doué, and João Neves—all of whom draw 1.5 or more fouls per match on average.

With Dembélé sidelined, creative responsibility for PSG’s attack now falls to Kvaratskhelia and Doué. The duo—both new arrivals this season—have been instrumental in the team’s success.

Kvaratskhelia, the more recent signing, has established himself as a starter. In 26 appearances, he has scored seven goals and provided seven assists. On average, he registers 2.73 shots and 1 shot on target per match.

In the Club World Cup opener against Atlético Madrid, he managed three attempts, hitting the target twice. Coming up against a Botafogo side that concede an average of four shots on target per match, Kvaratskhelia looks well placed to replicate that output.

Many expected Paris Saint-Germain to ease off in the Club World Cup following their Champions League triumph. Instead, the opposite proved true. Luis Enrique’s side opened their campaign with a 4–0 victory over Atlético Madrid.

Under the Spanish manager, PSG have created a well-balanced and highly talented squad, blending individual brilliance with a strong collective ethos—an approach that ultimately delivered the club’s most sought-after trophy. Remarkably, they achieved this without their star player, Ousmane Dembélé.

Throughout the 2024/25 season, PSG have been prolific in front of goal, scoring 156 times in 60 matches—an average of 2.6 goals per game. They head into this fixture on the back of three consecutive wins, netting 12 goals and conceding none.

Botafogo, however, are still striving to find their footing under new manager Renato Paiva. Although they managed a win in their opener against the Seattle Sounders, their performance dipped significantly in the second half, and they were fortunate not to concede a late equaliser.

Despite being the reigning Copa Libertadores champions, much has changed for Botafogo in 2025. The club has endured a series of setbacks, including finishing as runners-up in both the Supercopa do Brasil and the Recopa Sudamericana. They currently sit eighth in the Brazilian Championship.

Given the form of both sides, it’s difficult to see anything other than another comfortable PSG victory. The final scoreline will likely depend on how much intensity the French champions choose to bring to the occasion.

This match has the potential to be a tense affair, with a win guaranteeing either side a place in the knockout stage. The technical disparity between the two teams could also result in a higher number of fouls and bookings.

PSG’s recent opponents have resorted to tactical fouling in an attempt to disrupt their rhythm. Across their last two fixtures—against Atlético Madrid and Inter—PSG’s adversaries accumulated nine cards (eight yellow, one red). In the Champions League as a whole, PSG ranked among the top two clubs for drawing bookings, with opponents averaging 2.11 cards per match.

Botafogo are expected to adopt a more reactive approach, which could also see them commit tactical fouls. Under Renato Paiva, the Brazilian side already maintain a high foul rate. In the domestic league, they sit third for average fouls per match, with 14.7. All of this points to a match with a significant number of cards.

The referee for Thursday’s clash is Canadian official Drew Fischer, who has taken charge of 16 matches this season, issuing a total of 72 cards—an average of 4.5 per game. That further reinforces the case for expecting a high card count in this encounter.