PSG will be keen to put their Coupe de France heartbreak behind them when they take on arch-rivals AS Monaco this weekend.
Defending champions PSG have seen their aura of invincibility take a massive hit post the World Cup hiatus, and it will once again be put to the test when they travel to the Stade Louis II when they take on AS Monaco on Saturday evening.
Christophe Galtier’s side were knocked out of the Coupe de France by Olympique de Marseille this week and also have the blockbuster UEFA Champions League knockout stages clash against Bayern Munich to come. While their injury situation is improving, there are enough reasons for Les Parisiens to be worried about the lack of momentum.
All this augurs well for Monaco, who can keep themselves in the running for a top-three finish with a win. Les Rouge et Blanc are ten points off the top of the table but have a realistic shot at catching second-placed Marseille, who are just two points ahead.
Paris Saint-Germain are currently unbeaten in their last seven Ligue 1 games and also held PSG to a 1-1 draw at Parc des Princes earlier in the campaign. Now buoyed on by a boisterous home crowd, there is every reason to believe that Monaco can smell blood.
Galtier is likely to have an eye on the game against Bayern. Games are not getting easy for the French champions, and the lack of momentum since the World Cup ended is obvious. The sooner they rediscover the mojo, the better they have a shot at fulfilling expectations and avoiding any unflattering surprises.
The Hard Tackle looks at how both sides could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
AS Monaco
No holding back 😤#ASMPSG pic.twitter.com/b1d6dKLqyi
— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) February 8, 2023
AS Monaco are currently fourth in the Ligue 1 standings going into the weekend and could close the gap at the top with a win. Les Rouge et Blanc have a good record against PSG and have beaten them more times than any other side in the French top flight.
Having suffered just one loss in their last five meetings, AS Monaco have every reason to be optimistic on the night. Clement will be without Vanderson and Malang Sarr, both of whom are out injured. Monaco have an otherwise fully-fit squad at their disposal and have options to take into consideration.
The home side are likely to deploy in a 4-4-2 formation, with Alexander Nubel in goal. He will be protected by the back four of Ruben Aguilar, Axel Disasi, Guillermo Maripan and Caio Henrique.
Former Liverpool man Takumi Minamino and Aleksandr Golovin should start wide, with Mohamed Camara and Youssouf Fofana holding the fort in midfield. As long as Monaco can keep Marco Verratti and Vitinha in check, they can decide the tempo of the game.
Doing so will allow them to get the prolific duo of Wissam Ben Yeddar and Breel Embolo behind the PSG defence. Sergio Ramos was caught out midweek, and the Spaniard is not getting any younger. The veteran could struggle to cope with Monaco’s direct style should the home side control the midfield.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Nubel; Aguilar, Disasi, Maripan, Henrique; Minamino, Camara, Fofana, Golovin; Ben Yedder, Embolo
Paris Saint-Germain
The defending champions look vulnerable and are there for the taking. Injuries and an over-dependence on the attack has largely masked the deficiencies in other areas of the pitch.
Christophe Galtier should be worried about the club’s record against the other top sides in the league this season and will hope that the trip to Monaco marks a shift in the momentum. While PSG are still favourites to retain their Ligue 1 title, the same cannot be said of the continental stage where they have often fallen short.
A loss to Monaco could certainly hand the initiative to Bayern, and it is in their best interests to come away from Stade Louis II with all three points in the bag. Galtier has had to cope with injuries to several players of late, and despite not being all out of the woods yet, the situation is improving.
Kylian Mbappe is still out on the sidelines alongside Renato Sanches and Nordi Mukiele. Presnel Kimpembe is back in training, but PSG do not appear to be in a hurry to rush him back into action. The Frenchman is expected to watch this game from the sidelines as he continues to recover. Lionel Messi also tweaked his hamstring against Marseille and will only return to training on Monday.
🔜⚽️ #ASMPSG pic.twitter.com/aPIkXt5PrU
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) February 10, 2023
Galtier welcomed back Sergio Ramos and Neymar against Marseille, but neither player managed to stand out for the right reasons. With minutes under their belt, he will hope that they live up to their reputations this Saturday.
PSG are set to retain their 4-3-1-2 formation with Gianluigi Donnarumma the last line of defence. He will be protected by the back four of Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Sergio Ramos and Nuno Mendes.
Danilo Pereira should retain his spot at the base of the PSG midfield, with Vitinha and Marco Verratti pulling the strings further forward. The duo seizing control of the middle of the park should make life easier for Carlos Soler, who should don the number ten’s role.
PSG must reduce their overdependence on Lionel Messi, who looks set to be absent on the night. This will see Neymar partner Hugo Ekitike upfront.
Probable Lineup (4-3-1-2): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Ramos, Mendes; Vitinha, Pereira, Verratti; Soler; Ekitike, Neymar
Key Stats
- AS Monaco have defeated PSG more times than any other side in the French top flight. They have also won three of the last five meetings with the defending French champions. A win on the night will see Monaco win three home games in the league against PSG for the first time since 2000.
- A loss on the night will see PSG lose three away games in Ligue 1 against the same opponent for the first time since the middle east takeover.
- PSG have failed to fire a blank in their last 44 Ligue 1 games. Monaco, on the other hand, have scored in 32 consecutive top-flight games so far.
- PSG have kept just one clean sheet in Ligue 1 in 2023. They are currently on a four-game streak without a clean sheet, their longest such run since May-March 2021.
- PSG have won just one game against the Ligue 1’s top five clubs in the 2022/23 season.
Player to Watch
Neymar
The Brazilian has somewhat eased off from his prolific start to the season and failed to make the difference against Marseille. He will be keen to make an impact on the night and also dampen the club’s overdependence on Lionel Messi. With the Argentine and Kylian Mbappe missing, there is no better time than now for the 31-year-old to stake his claim as the club’s numero uno.
Neymar is a match-winner in his own right and can turn a tie on its head. It is exactly what PSG are crying out for at this moment in time. The away trip to an arch-rival provides the Brazilian with the opportunity to step up and be counted. Doing so will certainly make life easier for the team as a whole.
Prediction
AS Monaco 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain
AS Monaco have the form and the confidence to fancy their chances on the night. More so, the home support will egg them on against a side that has proven itself to be vulnerable in recent weeks. While Monaco should take the game to their opponents, PSG will be keen to avoid consecutive defeats. It promises to be an exciting game that should end in a stalemate.
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