Paris Saint-Germain discover themselves in acquainted territory following their midweek defeat in opposition to Bayern Munich, as a aspect that’s too robust for its home rivals in France struggles within the Champions League. There is maybe a distinction this time, nevertheless — whereas PSG have typically not lived as much as their potential in Europe, this season they seem merely nowhere close to pretty much as good as the most effective groups on the continent. Luis Enrique’s aspect provided little attacking menace in Tuesday’s 1-0 loss in Munich, during which goalkeeper Matfei Safonov was at fault for the objective and Ousmane Dembele was despatched off.
PSG have simply 4 factors and have suffered three defeats in 5 video games within the Champions League, which means they sit twenty fifth out of 36 groups.
That leaves them one place and two factors exterior the qualifying spots for February’s knockout part play-offs, and they’re going to certainly have to win a minimum of two of their three remaining matches to keep away from elimination.
Such a fragile place means Luis Enrique is of course within the firing line, with doubts surrounding his techniques — “The technique with none impact,” learn one headline in sports activities each day L’Equipe on Thursday.
In explicit, his penchant for taking part in and not using a centre-forward for the reason that departure of Kylian Mbappe and the lack of Goncalo Ramos to harm.
Randal Kolo Muani, a big-money signing who was anticipated to step up following Mbappe’s exit, has turn out to be an outcast.
A France common, Kolo Muani has began simply twice all season for PSG and didn’t come off the bench in opposition to Bayern.
Yet Paris have scored solely three targets in 5 Champions League matches, one in all which was an personal objective.
“To be the coach of PSG is a privilege. The strain I placed on myself is larger than any exterior strain,” Luis Enrique stated in Munich.
“I’m not right here simply to move the time. My goal is to win titles and to take action now, not sooner or later.”
PSG are on target to do this domestically, as they’re unbeaten in Ligue 1 and 6 factors away from nearest challengers Monaco earlier than internet hosting struggling Nantes this weekend.
At residence they common three targets a sport with Bradley Barcola their main marksman on 10. They have misplaced simply one in all their final 41 Ligue 1 matches.
France’s different Champions League representatives — Monaco, Lille and Brest — are all doing nicely in Europe however it isn’t an incredible search for Ligue 1 that PSG proceed to cruise at residence whereas toiling overseas.
The present classic is perhaps the weakest PSG aspect for the reason that first season of the Qatari takeover in 2011/12, with the attainable exception of 2016/17.
That latter marketing campaign adopted Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s departure and was previous to the arrivals on the Parc des Princes of Neymar and Mbappe.
Monaco pipped PSG to the title that yr, and seem the probably menace to their hegemony once more this time.
Player to observe: Hamed Junior Traore
The 24-year-old Ivorian attacking midfielder is unquestionably the signing of the season to this point in Ligue 1.
Traore joined Auxerre on mortgage from Bournemouth after spending the second half of final season at Napoli. And he’s the primary motive why newly-promoted Auxerre sit a lofty seventh a 3rd of the way in which by way of the season.
He has six targets in 10 Ligue 1 appearances, together with a last-gasp winner in opposition to Angers final weekend.
One extra in opposition to Toulouse on Sunday and he’ll match his best-ever tally for a single league season, of seven for Sassuolo in Italy in 2021/22.
Key stats
7 – Brest have suffered as many defeats in Ligue 1 this season as in the entire of the final marketing campaign.
300 – PSG captain Marquinhos might make his three hundredth Ligue 1 look this weekend.
3 – Marseille have conceded three targets in every of their final two residence video games. They haven’t performed so in three successive residence top-flight video games since 1962.
Fixtures (instances GMT)
Friday
Reims v Lens (1945)
Saturday
Rennes v Saint-Etienne (1600), Brest v Strasbourg (1800), Paris Saint-Germain v Nantes (2000)
Sunday
Montpellier v Lille (1400), Lyon v Nice, Toulouse v Auxerre, Le Havre v Angers (all 1600), Marseille v Monaco (1945)
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
