Claude Puel will have been relieved to have collected his second domestic victory following his appointment at OGC Nice, as the task gets difficult against PSG this weekend. The league’s surprise strugglers this season ended a six-game winless run when they defeated Angers away from home, and managed to keep their distance from the relegation zone.
Puel’s side might be sitting in 15th place at the moment, but they have a ten-point buffer from the relegation zone. Ahead of the last game on Saturday, they will certainly hope to cause an upset over PSG and turn the tide in the title race, but given their current form, it is more of a hopeful conversation than anything.
Visitors, PSG will come into this game full of confidence following their majestic triumph over Chelsea in the Champions League. Luis Enrique’s side followed up their 5-2 home win over the Blues with a 3-0 thumping at Stamford Bridge, to go through to the quarter-finals with an 8-2 aggregate scoreline.
They had the luxury of not having to play last weekend after the league agreed to postpone their game, which allowed them extra rest before they faced Chelsea. Whether this pattern continues ahead of the next stages in the Champions League remains to be seen, but it did give them an advantage last season, and looks likely to give them some this term.
In their Ligue 1 campaign, RC Lens have played as early as Friday night, against Angers, which is a game they are expected to win and subsequently move to the top of the table. PSG can either claw back to their default place at the summit with a win over Nice, or increase their lead if Lens drops points Friday night, although the Ligue 1 title race is in the hands of the Parisians as things stand.
Claude Puel might have to make do without at least five of their key first-team stars, including Mohamed Abdelmonem, who is out for the season with a cruciate ligament tear.
Isak Jansson has a knee problem that marks him as a significant doubt, while Kojo Peprah Oppong and Mohamed Ali-Cho are out with calf and foot injuries, respectively. Everton Pereira is also out, while Moise Bombito is also a doubt for this clash with a lower-leg injury, as a late assessment will determine his participation.
Puel will continue with a back five of Antoine Mendy, Jonathan Clauss, Dante, Juma Bah, and Melvin Bard, while Charles Vanhoutte, Morgan Sanson and Hicham Boudaoui will feature in their midfield setup. Elye Wahi, who scored against Angers, will be part of the attacking setup, with Kevin Carlos in support of his strike partner.
Probable Lineup (5-3-2): Diouf; Mendy, Clauss, Bah, Dante, Bard; Boudaoui, Sanson, Vanhoutte; Wahi, Carlos
Luis Enrique’s problems are not as deep as his counterpart Claude Puel’s, with only Quentin Ndjantou and Fabian Ruiz out with injuries, as the duo battle knee and hamstring issues, respectively. PSG will be without key man Achraf Hakimi due to suspension. It remains to be seen whether Enrique decides to rotate his squad across the board and afford some rest to his players.
However, with the international break just around the corner, the Spanish tactician might keep his strongest team on the pitch. Hence, the likes of Ousmane Dembele are expected to start, while Bradley Barcola will assume the left-wing spot ahead of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Desire Doue could also start on the right side, while Dro Fernandez could get a run in the PSG midfield alongside Senny Mayulu and Vitinha. Another change that Enrique might enforce is at the back, with Illia Zabarnyi likely to come in for Marquinhos, while Warren Zaire-Emery will deputise for the suspended Hakimi.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Safonov; Zaire-Emery, Zabarnyi, Pacho, Mendes; Mayulu, Fernandez, Vitinha; Doua, Dembele, Barcola
The Spanish youngster made the headlines in the January window following his shock move to PSG from boyhood club Barcelona. Since Fernandez arrived in Paris, he has been fast-tracked into the first team, which suggests his decision to make the switch was the right one.
However, there is still a long way to go for the young midfielder, as he must compete with some formidable names in that PSG side. Saturday’s clash against Nice will be a big test for the player, who will aim to shine and take a significant step towards becoming more of a regular under Enrique.
Nice might come into this clash on the back of a much-needed win last weekend, and Claude Puel will want another good performance from his players to gain further momentum. However, the task is too big against this PSG side, buoyed by a top-notch win at Chelsea.
PSG will take this game in all seriousness, as they will either want to claw back to the top or increase their gap. Either way, Luis Enrique will probably treat this clash as a must-win of sorts, and given the form the team is in, they are expected to secure another big win away from home against the surprise Ligue 1 strugglers.
