PSG will look to consolidate the top spot in Ligue 1 when they host Stade de Reims at Parc des Princes on Sunday.
Matchday 25 of the 2023/24 Ligue 1 season will culminate on Sunday, with the day bringing us six games. The action will get underway at Parc des Princes, where PSG will host Stade de Reims, with both teams looking to return to winning ways.
PSG began the 2023/24 season slowly, winning only two of the first five Ligue 1 games. But they have been unbeaten in their subsequent 19 games, dropping points only five times while opening up an 11-point buffer atop Ligue 1. The French champions are alive in every competition after reaching the quarter-finals in Coupe de France and the UEFA Champions League. So, they will be eager to complete the treble in the coming months.
As for Stade de Reims, they have made considerable progress under Will Still. The 31-year-old is among the most highly-rated young managers and has overseen significant growth at the club. But the Red and Whites have blown hot and cold in the last few weeks, winning only four of their last 13 Ligue 1 games to drop out of the top four and fall to eighth in the standings.
The reverse fixture saw PSG cruising to a 3-0 win over Reims, with Kylian Mbappe scoring a match-winning hat-trick. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
PSG
Luis Enrique does not have any new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against Stade de Reims on Sunday, the PSG manager will be bereft of the services of five first-team players.
Milan Skriniar (ankle) and Marco Asensio (hamstring) are the most notable absentees, with the duo unavailable for another week. In addition, Sergio Rico (head), Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles), and Layvin Kurzawa (back) remain on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Enrique will likely rest Marquinhos against Reims, with the PSG captain showing signs of fatigue. So, Danilo Pereira and Lucas Beraldo will pair up at the heart of the defence, with Achraf Hakimi and Lucas Hernandez being the two wide attackers. Gianluigi Donnarumma will take his usual spot between the sticks.
As for the midfield unit, Manuel Ugarte will sit at the base, looking to keep things tight in the middle of the park. Vitinha and Lee Kang-in should start alongside him, providing defensive support and pulling the strings moving forward. Finally, Kylian Mbappe will likely feature from the get-go, with Ousmane Dembele and Goncalo Ramos completing the offensive trifecta.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Pereira, Beraldo, Hernandez; Vitinha, Ugarte, Lee; Dembele, Mbappe, Ramos
Stade de Reims
Unlike his counterpart in the Paris Saint-Germain dugout, Will Still has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of the trip to Parc des Princes. The Stade de Reims manager will be without two first-team players on Sunday.
Thomas Foket is available after serving a suspension last weekend against LOSC Lille. So, Joseph Okumu (groin) and Maxime Busi (hamstring) are the only absentees for the away side heading into this weekend’s Ligue 1 fixture.
Yehvann Diouf should take his place in the goal, with Reims lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him against PSG. Meanwhile, the defensive quartet should feature the returning Foket, who will line up alongside Emmanuel Agbadou, Yunis Abdelhamid, and Thibault De Smet in the backline.
As for the midfield unit, Amir Richardson, Teddy Teuma, and Marshall Munetsi will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park while initiating quick transitions. Finally, Reda Khadra should lead the line for the away side, with Mohamed Daramy and Junya Ito completing the numbers in the attack.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Diouf; Foket, Agbadou, Abdelhamid, De Smet; Teuma, Richardson, Munetsi; Ito, Khadra, Daramy
Key Stats
- PSG have won five of their last seven home games in Ligue 1 against Stade de Reims (D2), conceding only once during this run.
- The goalless stalemate with AS Monaco meant PSG failed to win successive Ligue 1 games for the first time since the opening two matches of the 2023/24 season.
- Reims avoided defeat in their first 17 Ligue 1 games under Will Still (W9 D8) but have lost 17 top-flight matches since then (W12 D6), with only Nantes losing more times during this period (19).
- Reims have won two of their three Ligue 1 away games in 2024 after losing the last three outings on the road in 2023.
- PSG have won six of their seven games immediately following a UEFA Champions League match this season, only conceding in a draw at LOSC Lille. They have already beaten Reims once after playing in Europe earlier in the week.
Player to Watch
Ousmane Dembele
While the spotlight is invariably on Kylian Mbappe in a PSG game, Luis Enrique’s recent comments on the Frenchman have placed an added onus on other players. The Spanish tactician has not shied away from taking his team’s talisman off well before the game ends.
So, other attackers must step up as the Ligue 1 champions prepare for life after Mbappe. That brings Ousmane Dembele into the picture, with the French international flattering to deceive thus far this season. He arrived from Barcelona amid much hype and fanfare surrounding him.
But Dembele has not been anywhere near his best for much of the 2023/24 campaign, apart from a few positive moments. So, he needs to elevate his performance levels heading into the business end of the campaign to not only become a pivotal figure for PSG but also a hot topic for betting offers.
Prediction
PSG 2-1 Stade de Reims
Reims’ recent form in away games has been positive, and they might fancy their chances of toppling PSG this weekend. With Kylian Mbappe not featuring as much as he would like, the visitors have a chance to cause an upset, even if they only manage a draw.
But Mbappe will make the difference in the first half, scoring a match-winning brace to deliver the three points. But another hat-trick against Reims will not be on the cards, with Luis Enrique substituting him again. Meanwhile, the away side should manage a consolation goal, with PSG clinching a 2-1 victory.
