PSG travel to FC Nantes keen to ensure their stranglehold on the top spot in Ligue 1 is retained.
Defending champions PSG are still smarting from their 2-0 win over Real Sociedad in the UEFA Champions League and will now turn their attentions back to the domestic front when they travel to Nantes on Saturday night.
Luis Enrique’s men have a healthy 11-point lead at the top of the French top-flight standings and will hope to add to it this weekend. Having defeated LOSC Lille last weekend, the Paris Saint-Germain camp should not be lacking in confidence.
Meanwhile, Les Canaris are far from a formidable opponent and have won just six times this season in Ligue 1. Unless results pick up, there is every reason to believe that Nantes will get dragged into the relegation dogfight.
It is not enough to elicit any sympathy from PSG who ill be keen to get the job done with minimal fuss. Nantes’s home form is nothing to write home about either as they have suffered four successive defeats in all competitions at Stade de la Beaujoire. They also failed to find the back of the net in three of those matches.
PSG have made it a habit to not concede first this season, except on the odd occasion. One would assume that an early goal will open the floodgates for Enrique’s formidable frontline to run riot.
The Parisiens won the reverse fixture 2-1 thanks to a late goal by Randall Kolo Muani. They will hope for a similar result this time, continuing the march to yet another Ligue 1 title.
The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
FC Nantes
𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 👊
🏠 On se retrouve samedi à La Beaujoire. pic.twitter.com/KUFp2mRVG3
— FC Nantes (@FCNantes) February 15, 2024
Having stolen all three points against Toulouse, Nantes will hope to secure something out of the game against PSG. While it is easier said than done, teams will nothing to lose can surprise more illustrious ones.
To add to Jocelyn Gourvennec’s concerns, Nantes will be without Bastien Meupiyou, Remy Deschamps, Eray Comert and Kelvin Amian, all of whom are out injured.
However, Moses Simon is back available following his run to the final in AFCON with Nigeria. Les Canaris are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation that can also double up as 4-5-1 when needed.
Alban Lafont should start in goal behind the back four of Jean-Charles Castelletto, Nicolas Pallois, Nicolas Cozza and Jean-Kévin Duverne. Moussa Sissoko should hold the fort in central midfield, with Pedro Chirivella and Marcus Coco in support.
Mostafa Mohamed scored at the weekend and should lead the line with Stredair Appuah and Moses Simon providing the width.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Lafont; Castelletto, Pallois, Cozza, Duverne; Coco, Sissoko, Chirivella; Appuah, Mohamed, Simon
PSG
The champions will be without defender Presnel Kimpembe who is still out injured. Others ruled out include Nuno Mendes, Sergio Rico, Milan Skriniar and Layvin Kurzawa.
Keylor Navas got the nod over Gianluigi Donnarumma last weekend but the Italian is expected to be restored to the playing XI this Saturday. Having played Real Sociedad mere days ago, Enrique is expected to rotate his squad.
🎥️ Les temps forts de la victoire parisienne 🆚 la Real Sociedad ! (2-0)
Des buts de @KMbappe et Bradley Barcola lors de la manche aller des huitièmes de finale de la Ligue des Champions ⚽️#PSGRSO | #UCL pic.twitter.com/mAWPt3GvcF
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_inside) February 15, 2024
The Spaniard shoul retain his 4-3-3 formation with Donnarumma in goal. He should be protected by the back four of Achraf Hakimi, Danilo Pereira, Lucas Hernandez and Lucas Beraldo.
The trio of Warren Zaïre-Emery, Fabián Ruiz and Manuel Ugarte will form the backbone in the middle of the park, freeing up Ousmane Dembele, Lee Kang-in and Kylian Mbappe upfront. All eyes will be on the French world cup winner given the update on his future.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Pereira, Hernandez, Beraldo; Ugarte, Ruiz; Zaire-Emery; Dembele, Mbappe, Kang-in
Key Stats
- FC Nantes have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 30 games across all competitions against PSG. The last shut out against the champions came in 2006.
- Nantes and PSG have failed to draw a single of their last 24 league games. This is the longest such run between two clubs in their history.
- Nantes secured their first win of 2024 last weekend against Toulouse.
- PSG have secured 50 points from their first 21 Ligue 1 games this season. Nine times in the 21st century, Ligue 1 clubs have lost just once in their opening 21 matches of a league campaign. PSG account for six of them.
- A loss on the night will see Nantes record their longest ever losing streak in Ligue 1 at home in club history.
Player to Watch
Kylian Mbappe
With Fabrizio Romano confirming that the Frenchman will leave the Parc des Princes next summer, all eyes will be on Mbappe this weekend. The PSG star also is his club’s difference maker on the field and will possess the biggest threat to Nantes’s hopes of securing anything from the game.
Mbappe made the difference for P;SG in their midweek UEFA Champions League tie against Real Sociedad. He will once again be the biggest threat for opposition defences, despite PSG’s riches in attack.
Prediction
FC Nantes 0-3 PSG
Nantes have not kept a clean sheet against PSG in 30 attempts and will once again start as massive underdogs. PSG have both the form and the strength in depth to take the game to their opponents, strengthening their hold at the top of Ligue 1. Anything less than a convincing win for Luis Enrique’s men will come as a surprise.
