PSG vs Toulouse Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats

PSG will hope to keep hold of their slender lead at the Ligue 1 summit when they face Toulouse at the Parc des Princes.

Defending champions PSG will welcome a spirited Toulouse side to the Parc des Princes in their Ligue 1 fixture on Saturday night.

Christophe Galtier’s side appeared nigh on unbeatable before the World Cup hiatus. They have failed to show the same dominance since and have won just two of their last five games in the league.

This leaves them just five points ahead of RC Lens in the Ligue 1 standings. While there is no way they surrender the spot this weekend, Galtier will hope that his side does not let Lens whittle away the advantage. Toulouse are not the most formidable side in the league but have shown enough fight in them this season to suggest that the game is far from a foregone conclusion.

Les Pitchouns are coming off a dominant 4-1 win against Troyes and are yet to taste defeat in 2023. The Parc des Princes is a fortress of sorts, but Paris Saint-Germain have shown themselves to be susceptible to opponents taking the game to them. The lack of a plan B has on several occasions come back to haunt the French giants.

PSG made a real hash of their game against Montpellier, nearly dropping crucial points. Kylian Mbappe missed two penalties and was taken off injured before the French side found their mojo in the second half. While it brought in a welcome three points, the performance left much to be desired.

Regardless of what the form guide suggests, PSG will go into the game as favourites courtesy of their star-studded frontline among others. Toulouse will need to be at their best to scrape a point let alone a win. The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.

Team News & Tactics

PSG

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The French champions will be without star striker Kylian Mbappe who is set for a spell on the sidelines thanks to a thigh injury. Lionel Messi was the architect behind PSG’s win over Toulouse in the reverse fixture and will be called upon to perform at a similar level on the night.

Presnel Kimpembe continues to recover from an Achilles tendon, while Nordi Mukiele is not yet fully fit. To add to Christophe Galtier’s woes, Neymar appears to have muscle fatigue, while Sergio Ramos was taken off against Montpellier with a head injury.

However, Marco Verratti will return to the lineup after serving his suspension on Wednesday. The Italian international is the beating heart of the PSG side and will slot right into central midfield. Galtier is likely to go with his tried and tested 4-3-1-2 formation, with Gianluigi Donnarumma in the goal.

He will start behind the quartet of Achraf Hakimi, Danilo Pereira, Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes. Verratti should anchor the midfield, with Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha flanking him in the middle of the park. Carlos Soler should start further upfield in the number 10 role.

Hugo Ekitike has shown excellent goalscoring form in front of the goal in his last few games and should get the nod in attack. Lionel Messi will partner him in the front two and should be Toulouse’s biggest threat on the night.

Probable Lineup (4-3-1-2): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Pereira, Marquinhos, Mendes; Ruiz, Verratti, Vitinha; Soler; Messi, Ekitike

Toulouse

The Ligue 1 champions have adapted well to life in the top flight and appear likely to secure their status as a Ligue 1 club. They could be without Denis Genreau, who is suffering from a muscle injury, while Rhys Healey could also be out of contention.

Toulouse have been in good nick of late and recently dismantled Troyes 4-1. While a similar thrashing is unlikely against PSG, the visitors can cause the home side many problems. With Neymar and Kylian Mbappe potentially unavailable, Toulouse could strengthen their odds by marking Lionel Messi out of the game.

The visitors are likely to deploy in a 4-3-3 formation that is fluid. Depending on the rhythm of the game, Toulouse can revert to a 4-5-1 or a 4-2-3-1 if needed. Maxime Dupe is likely to start in goal behind the rearguard of Mikkel Desler, Anthony Rouault, Rasmus Nicolaisen and Gabriel Suazo.

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— Toulouse FC (@ToulouseFC) February 3, 2023

Zakaria Aboukhlal, Stijn Spierings and Branco van den Boomen should form the midfield three, with Thijs Dallinga leading the attack.

Rafael Ratao and Fares Chaibi should provide the depth on the night and also act as enforcers in the wings. Dallinga is experiencing a purple patch of form recently and should cause the PSG defence something to worry about. 

Probable Lineup (4-3-1-2): Dupe; Desler, Rouault, Nicolaisen, Suazo; Aboukhlal, Spierings, van den Boomen; Chaibi, Dallinga, Ratao

Key Stats

• A win on the night will see PSG win six straight games against the same side without conceding a goal for the first time in Ligue 1.
• PSG have won ten of their last 11 home games against Toulouse in Ligue 1.
• Toulouse have scored 35 goals in Ligue 1 so far this season. This is their best return at this stage since the 1964/65 campaign.
• PSG are unbeaten in their last 32 home games in Ligue 1, the best record of any side in Europe’s top five leagues.
• The last time PSG failed to score against a newly promoted side at home was in 2008. Since then they have gone on a run of scoring in 35 straight games, totalling 100 goals.

Player to Watch

Lionel Messi

The World Cup winner is in high spirits since Qatar and has a spring in his step. With Kylian Mbappe out and Neymar in doubt, the home side’s attacking acumen is likely to be largely dependent on Messi.

The veteran is capable of the extraordinary, and having him play a free role up front could prove decisive. As long as Toulouse keeps Messi quiet, they have reason to be optimistic regarding the result.

Prediction

PSG 2-1 Toulouse

Toulouse are in good form this season and should give PSG something to think about. Despite their injuries, Christophe Galtier and co. should have enough quality in their roster to swing the tie in their favour. Person to person, the home side has the better players, and this should reflect in the scoreline come full time.