Paris Saint-Germain and Nice will meet in a battle of two unbeaten sides at the Parc des Princes. Prior to the international break, Luis Enrique’s crop destroyed struggling Lyon 4-1, and Les Aiglons cruised through Strasbourg 2-0 to earn their first victory of the year.
Preview (Paris Saint-Germain vs. Nice)
While the shocking dressing-down of their own players by the Lyon fans naturally dominated the post-match news, PSG calmly went about their business at the Groupama Stadium, scoring four goals during an electrifying first-half performance. Before the halftime buzzer sounded, goals from Kylian Mbappe twice, Achraf Hakimi once, and Marco Asensio once put the game beyond doubt. Corentin Tolisso did manage to salvage a point for Les Gones from the penalty spot. A miraculous comeback was never in the cards for Les Gones.
Enrique had a slow start to his tenure as coach after back-to-back draws with Lorient and Toulouse. PSG have since rekindled their quest for a third straight Ligue 1 championship. They have scored seven goals in their past two games against Lens and Lyon. Reims, Rennes, and Le Havre may all match PSG’s eight goals. Their eight points out of a potential 12 only put them in second position behind early leaders Monaco. The latter’s 13 goals also make them the only team to surpass PSG’s total.
The champions’ crushing victory over Lyon just before the break was only their second victory in their previous six Ligue 1 games, and their recent record at Parc des Princes—three wins in their previous eight games—is disgraceful ahead of their Champions League opener against Borussia Dortmund and the first Classique of the season against Marseille in gameweek six. Similar to their forthcoming opponents, Nice likewise started their 2023–24 season in a respectable manner. They have earned three points from their first three games against Lille, Lorient, and Lyon.
Team News
Enrique and his medical staff will need to make careful assessments because many of PSG’s international stars will be competing for their nations during the international break. Mbappe has been given cause for concern after missing Les Bleus’ loss to Germany in a friendly match due to a knee issue. The severity of Mbappe’s condition is still unknown. Enrique may decide not to risk players like Marquinhos, Manuel Ugarte, and Keylor Navas. They will need time to adjust to French time zones after returning to their respective continents.
The experienced midfielder Marco Verratti is about to join the Qatari team Al Arabi. Goncalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani may compete for the starting spot at the front of the attack. The door may be open for Southampton loanee Romain Perraud to make his first Ligue 1 start since May 2021. It ironically came against PSG, as Nice lost regular left-back Melvin Bard to injury.
Antoine Mendy (knee), Alexis Claude-Maurice (calf), and much-loved midfielder Khephren Thuram (thigh) are all currently in the hospital. Alexis Claude-Maurice is also struggling with a thigh issue and is questionable for the journey to Paris. Due to ongoing questions about Mbappe’s health and the possibility that some foreign players would be held back in preparation for two high-profile games, PSG may find Friday’s match to be particularly uncomfortable. Nice are rarely defeated on the home field, and the quick Moffi should pose a number of problems for Les Parisiens’ porous defense, but we still have faith in the champs to secure their third straight victory.
Paris Saint-Germain 2 – 1 Nice
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