Paris Saint-Germain will look to extend their lead at the summit with a win over Nantes, who come visiting after a stellar result last time.
Luis Enrique will want continuity from his players and their form as he looks to settle down in the Ligue 1 race. There are important matters to settle with their Champions League group, but for now, the Spaniard will want to keep the four-point lead at the top of the table in France.
PSG have made headway in their Champions League group with a late but eventful draw against Newcastle United. The result put them in a good position heading into the last group game. Back to matters in the league, they have shown strong form, and last weekend’s result was a testament to that.
L'entraîneur du Paris Saint-Germain Luis Enrique s'est exprimé en conférence de presse à la veille de #PSGFCN. Extraits. ⤵️
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) December 8, 2023
Against Le Havre, PSG went down to ten men after a straight red card for goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Without losing momentum and control, the Parisians took care of the game with a 23rd-minute goal from Kylian Mbappe and then a late strike from Vitinha to settle the clash. Now, they face Nantes, aiming to keep hold of their lead, but will remain wary of the opponent coming here after a significant result.
Nantes have continued their inconsistent form this season, which sees them languish in the ninth spot, two points ahead of Le Havre. Manager Jocelyn Gourvennec had been under tremendous pressure after a winless run spanning four games.
In response, Nantes got a solid yet hard-working win over title hopefuls OGC Nice. Winger Florent Mollet’s first-half strike proved enough to take all three points, but Gourvennec’s side soaked up massive pressure to keep the scoreline intact.
The manager would hope for a similar outcome against the league leaders on Saturday night, which could see them push hard towards achieving their ambitions. A fantastic result against PSG will go a long way to reinstill faith in Gourvennec, but such a thing could also open up the title race in Ligue 1.
Team News & Tactics
Paris Saint-Germain
Enrique will be without Donnarumma after his sending-off against Le Havre last weekend. PSG are already without their other backup keepers in Keylor Navas and Sergio Rico, meaning 22-year-old Arnau Tenas will make only his second appearance after playing 78 minutes in the last game, replacing the Italian.
La préparation de #PSGFCN se poursuit au Campus PSG ! 📍⚽️ pic.twitter.com/rWkSAEro7O
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) December 7, 2023
In that very game, Fabian Ruiz also suffered an injury early on and was replaced by Vitinha. After his late goal, the latter stands a chance to keep his place in the lineup. Enrique needs a host of first-team stars, including young sensation Warren Zaire-Emery.
There are doubts about Marquinhos, while Presnel Kimpembe needs to make some changes. At the back, Enrique might have to go with Milan Skriniar and Danilo Pereira in central defence, while Achraf Hakimi and Lucas Hernandez hold on to their full-back roles.
Manuel Ugarte, Kang Lee-in and Vitinha are well-placed to start in midfield. Enrique might tweak his front three and bring Kylian Mbappe back on the left wing after playing Bradley Barcola in the last game. Randal Kolo Muani remains best placed to lead the line, while Ousmane Dembele will likely begin on the right wing.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3) – Tenas; Hakimi, Pereira, Skriniar, Hernandez; Vitinha, Ugarte, Kang-In; Dembele, Kolo Muani, Mbappe
Nantes
For the visiting side, Quentin Merlin remains sidelined or at least a considerable doubt with a groin problem. Centre-back Jean-kevin Duverne will likely replace him in the left-back slot. Meanwhile, Ignatius Ganago will miss the remainder of the semester with an ACL rupture as he prepares for his rehabilitation program.
📺 Jocelyn Gourvennec avant #psgfcn
"On a un groupe qui est capable de beaucoup courir et d'être intense. Quand on a les deux, c'est très intéressant. Je suis aussi surpris par leur capacité à trouver des solutions par eux-mêmes"
— FC Nantes (@FCNantes) December 7, 2023
Right back, Fabian Contenze will also remain out for this clash, meaning Coco will remain positioned in his place for the visit to Paris. Arsenal loanee Marquinhos is also listed as a doubt for this clash, although the nature of his problem remains unknown as he was present on the bench during the win over OGC Nice.
The manager might tweak the system, making his team more likely to attack the ball. At the back, Jean-Charles Castelletto and Eray Comert will continue their partnership in central defence, especially after the valiant effort against Nice.
Douglas Augusto is well positioned to sit at the base of midfield with Pedro Chirivella and veteran Moussa Sissoko on either side. Up front, goalscorer Mollet will start on the right side of the front three, with Mostafa Mohamed leading the line and Moses Simon completing the attack from the left-hand side.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3) – Lafont; Coco, Castelletto, Comert, Duverne; Sissoko, Augusto, Chrivella; Mollet, Mohamed, Simon
Key Stats
- Paris Saint-Germain have been winning at both half-time and full-time in their last 7 matches in Ligue 1.
- Paris Saint-Germain have won 24 of their last 27 matches against Nantes in all competitions.
- Paris Saint-Germain have scored at least 2 goals in 21 of their last 25 matches against Nantes in all competitions.
- Nantes have one win in their last 5 games in all competitions.
- Nantes have only beaten PSG twice at this venue in this century.
Player to Watch
Kylian Mbappe
Paris Saint-Germain will again rely on their talismanic star, Mbappe, to deliver the goods. The French superstar remains their important star and keeps getting among the goals, but his form needs to resonate with his impressive numbers.
The forward needs a pause to reset his style and a good game where he can assert himself again in proceedings. Clashes like the one against Nantes at home will resemble an opportunity for him to find his feet, especially with a big Champions League encounter coming along for PSG.
Prediction
PSG 2-1 Nantes
PSG have the firepower to overpower a team like Nantes at home, and they will come into this clash with confidence after recent results in Ligue 1. Enrique will have one eye on the midweek Champions League encounter, but he may be fine with getting a result on Saturday.
The likes of Mbappe and Dembele could once again prove their mettle with a significant performance, as Enrique will want this game wrapped very early. PSG are not yet there with the fluidity that usually sees them score plenty, but they have enough firepower to collect three points against Nantes on Saturday night.
