Kylian Mbappe’s return to the PSG first-team squad will headline their clash against Toulouse as Luis Enrique eyes his first win.
This time last week, PSG, who face Toulouse next, were mentally in a different place; their fans were concerned about what might happen to their superstar striker’s future. Since then, plenty of things have transpired in the background, with the club bidding their goodbyes to one star while welcoming another back into the fold.
Kylian Mbappe made a stunning U-turn on his future and held positive talks with President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, which may indicate he is ready to sign a new deal with the club. The contract might still have an exit clause that could allow the striker to leave next summer, but not on a free transfer.
Following very constructive and positive discussions between Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappe before the PSG – Lorient game, the player has been reinstated into the first team training squad this morning pic.twitter.com/BdqRJnIyL9
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 13, 2023
On the other hand, they allowed Neymar to leave the club and join Al-Hilal on a stellar deal. PSG also received a transfer fee for all their efforts, which suited all parties concerned. The significant issue right now is getting positive results for Luis Enrique after a stalemate against Lorient in the opening game week.
Contrastingly, Toulouse began their Ligue 1 campaign with a spirited win over Nantes. After trailing to a Mostafa Mohamed penalty in the 13th minute, they came back from behind with goals from Zakaria Aboukhlal and Rasmus Nicolaisen, with the latter coming in second-half injury time, they could collect three points.
Toulouse have seen some changes in their managerial position during the close season after parting ways with Philippe Montanier. His assistant, Carles Martinez Novell, got the top job and now has a task to steady the ship and find some consistent form, starting with the clash against PSG.
Team News & Tactics
Toulouse
Toulouse have an extensive list of absentees to contend with ahead of the PSG clash. Ibrahim Cissoko, Junior Flemmings, Kevin Keben, Ado Onaiwu, and Naatan Skytta are all expected to sit out of this game.
#TFCPSG, le 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙣 vous est présenté par notre partenaire GLS 🤝 pic.twitter.com/MxxqGanQob
— Toulouse FC (@ToulouseFC) August 18, 2023
Despite the raft of absentees, Martinez Novell will continue to stick with an attacking setup and mirror PSG’s 4-3-3 shape. Dutch forward Thijs Dallinga will spearhead their attack, flanked by last week’s goalscorer Aboukhlal and Frank Magri.
Cristian Casseres Jr. will sit at the base of midfield and will have Vincent Sierro and Denis Genreau on either side. At the back, Mikkel Desler and Moussa Diarra will play as full-backs, while their defender will depend on the strength of Logan Costa and Nicolaisen centrally.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Restes; Desler, Costa, Nicolaisen, Diarra; Sierro, Casseres .Jr, Genreau; Aboukhlal, Dallinga, Magri
PSG
Luis Enrique may not have been happy with his side’s performance against Lorient and could ring in necessary changes to the lineup. For starters, he now has the formidable force of Kylian Mbappe to select and will undoubtedly start the Frenchman at the tip of his attack.
The Parisian squad to face Toulouse. 🔛👊 #TFCPSG pic.twitter.com/SEBDymwDRQ
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) August 18, 2023
There are still a few missing personnel, with Nordi Mukiele, Nuno Mendes, Sergio Rico and Presnel Kimpembe all major doubts to participate. After starting last weekend with an indifferent lineup, Enrique may finally have an attacking force worth admiring.
Enrique might look to integrate new arrival Ousmane Dembele alongside his France colleague Mbappe, while Marco Asensio could continue to keep his place on the right side of the attack. Behind them, the manager might retain the same midfield trio of Manuel Ugarte at the base, flanked by Warren Zaire-Emery and Vitinha on either side.
Danilo might drop to the bench at the back in favour of summer arrival Milan Skriniar, as Enrique might test what seems like a long-term partnership with Marquinhos in central defence. The full-backs, Achraf Hakimi and Lucas Hernandez will retain their places.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Skriniar, Hernandez; Zaire-Emery, Ugarte, Vitinha; Dembele, Mbappe, Asensio
Key Stats
- Toulouse have seen over 2.5 goals in their last three matches against Paris Saint-Germain in all competitions.
- An inconsistent Toulouse side recorded six wins, six draws and seven losses at home last season.
- PSG have won their last seven matches against Toulouse in all competitions.
- PSG have kept a clean sheet in their last three away matches against Toulouse in all competitions.
- PSG did not allow Lorient to register a single shot on target in the opening game.
Player to Watch
Kylian Mbappe
Mbappé back in PSG squad with best spirit, Luis Enrique says: “Kylian Mbappé is perfect from what I saw in training”. 🔴🔵🇫🇷
“He has a lot of desire and and is in a very good state of mind. I’m very happy to have a world-class player like Kylian”. pic.twitter.com/LfBWLvkwr3
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 18, 2023
There is still a wait to see how PSG fans receive Mbappe after the latest debacle behind the scenes. But things have turned out positively for the club and the striker in the past week. With the forward now set to stay and play for the team, there is a willingness to see how he performs under Luis Enrique.
Adding Ousmane Dembele also creates a mouthwatering frontline for PSG, as fans will show eagerness to see the duo combine to devastating effect. In any case, the focus will stay on Mbappe and how he performs upon his return from a mini-exile.
Prediction
Toulouse 1-2 PSG
Toulouse showed heart in the last game against Nantes, and the supporters will expect a similar display against PSG. The visiting team certainly have the superior strike force in the league and will cause problems for their backline.
The frontline of Dembele-Mbappe-Asensio will undoubtedly net the goals required to collect three points away from home. The attackers will prove crucial to get the first win on board and, more importantly, build relationships at the front.
