Luis Enrique will want a response from PSG following the midweek disappointment as they travel to take on OGC Nice in Ligue 1.
Like PSG, OGC Nice also have a few questions following a disappointing midweek excursion in Europe. Having finished only four points behind LOSC Lille in the Ligue 1 table and thus losing the final UEFA Champions League spot, Franck Haise’s men have had an underwhelming start to life in the Europa League.
A 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad on the opening matchday was followed by a disappointing 4-1 loss to AS Roma in midweek. Haise will have to address his squad’s dwindling form ahead of this crunch home clash with PSG on Sunday.
OGC Nice have not started life in Ligue 1 any better, as their two wins so far have come against basement clubs in Angers and Saint-Etienne. They have yet to achieve meaningful results in the league, and PSG will not make things easier for them.
Luis Enrique will want answers from his players following a dismal display away at Arsenal in midweek. Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka’s first-half strikes handed the Gunners the onus in the fixture. Meanwhile, the squad lacks consistency, as their league form proves.
As they entered the midweek encounter with Arsenal, PSG were coming off a solid victory over Rennes. Les Parisiens are still level on points at the top of the Ligue 1 standings, albeit on goal difference, as AS Monaco are breathing down their necks.
Enrique should use this occasion to travel to Nice to get things back on track and focus on Ligue 1 before the international break as he gets set to take on OGC Nice. A big victory is all they want from this clash, as PSG will want to keep the pressure at the summit heading into the break.
Team News & Tactics
OGC Nice
OGC Nice have some injury problems ahead of the visit of PSG. The home side will be once again without winger Gaetan Laborde, who is reportedly sidelined until the end of November with a broken foot. Melvin Bard is also unavailable for the game, having picked up a thigh injury a few weeks earlier, and he was unable to recover from it before the international break.
Franck Haise will persist with a back three, as he feels this is the best setup he has at the moment, especially against attacking sides like PSG. Youssouf Ndayishimiye, Moise Bombito, and Dante are all pencilled in to keep their spots at the back, while Jonathan Clauss and Tom Louchet are expected to stay in the wing-back roles.
The on-loan striker from Youssoufa Moukoko will be part of the front three alongside Jeremie Boga, who leads the line, and Evann Guessand on the left-hand side of the Nice attack against PSG this weekend.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Bulka; Ndayishimiye, Bombito, Dante; Clauss, Rosario, Ndombele, Louchet; Guessand, Boga, Moukoko
PSG
There is still no clarity on Goncalo Ramos’s ankle issue and whether he will be able to participate in some capacity. Luis Enrique will have a few decisions to make ahead of the clash against OGC Nice, as a change of approach in midfield is necessary for PSG.
For instance, the trio of Warren Zaire-Emery, Joao Neves, and Vitinha did not have the physical presence to match Arsenal’s prowess. Hence, Fabian Ruiz could be in for a start. At the back, Enrique is likely to keep the same setup as earlier this week, with Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes set to assume their roles in the full-back positions, while Willian Pacho and Marquinhos form the central defensive pairing.
Gianluigi Donnarumma had a nightmare time at the Emirates. But it might be a matter of fitness, and the PSG no. 1 will start this game against OGC Nice. The attacking setup is more of a concern for PSG fans, as the issue between Ousmane Dembele and Enrique remains unresolved.
Hence, it is safe to assume the French winger will stay sidelined for now, although the manager might drop Lee Kang-in, who was anonymous against Arsenal. Hence, Randal Kolo Muani might return to lead the line, with Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola set to feature on the wings.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Neves, Ruiz; Doue, Kolo Muani, Barcola
Key Stats
- Nice’s two wins this season have come against teams in the relegation zone.
- Nice are unbeaten in two home games this season.
- PSG have won back-to-back games away at OGC Nice.
- Joao Neves has provided five assists in his six Ligue 1 games this season.
Player to Watch
Bradley Barcola
Barcola might have learned a big lesson in the midweek European outing following an encounter with a top defensive side that forced him to put up a subdued performance. He will have known the standards needed to succeed on the big stage of the UEFA Champions League, and hence, the youngster must take his displays to another level.
On paper, Ousmane Dembele has assumed the role of the attacking talisman in the wake of Kylian Mbappe’s departure. With the French winger himself absent, Barcola has a brilliant chance to stake a claim of importance in this squad, and a big performance against OGC Nice would go a long way in cementing his importance under Luis Enrique.
Prediction
OGC Nice 1-3 PSG
Nice have not been in good form since the season began, although they might take courage from their recent unbeaten form at home when they host PSG. However, Les Parisiens are a different gravy at this moment, and they will punish Franck Haise’s men for their current quality.
PSG will also be looking to secure a bounce-back win away at Nice. Hence, this fixture screams a convincing win for the away side, as Luis Enrique’s men are set to retain their top spot in the standings heading into the international break. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the reigning Ligue 1 champions.
