The final quarter-final tie of the Coupe de France sees Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain welcome OGC Nice to Parc des Princes on Wednesday.
Paris Saint-Germain host OGC Nice in the French capital in the quarter-finals in this season’s Coupe de France on Wednesday night, with the winner of this clash will face Stade Rennais for a place in the final.
PSG were held to a third consecutive share of spoils in the league over the weekend, producing an underwhelming performance in the 2-2 draw at home against Reims. That followed a recent share of spoils with AS Monaco and a 1-1 draw with Rennes, although their gap to second-placed Brest remain ten points, enabling manager Luis Enrique to rotate his side and focus on the Coupe and Champions League pursuits.
Having progressed through the Last 16 on the continent, PSG will look to make it through to the Coupe de France semi-finals here. On the other hand, the Eaglets have gone five games without a win and have endured frustrating defeats to strugglers Lyon, Montpellier, and Toulouse, as well as a stalemate with bottom-placed Clermont.
This poor form does not bode well for the chances against the powerhouses of French football. Nice were the second-best side in the division around New Year, even though PSG had pulled clear, but form in 2024 has been extremely disappointing and costly. The two teams met earlier this season in Ligue 1 in September, with the visitors recording a 3-2 away win.
Team News & Tactics
Paris Saint-Germain
Luis Enrique was without the services of skipper and key defender Marquinhos against Reims on Sunday, after the Brazilian picked up an Achilles tendon injury in training. He is unlikely to be risked in this match.
Forward Marco Asensio is set to miss a third straight game after he was forced off in the first half of the recent goalless draw against AS Monaco due to a hamstring issue. The former Real Madrid man has joined an injury list that features Layvin Kurzawa (back), Milan Skriniar (ankle), Sergio Rico (head), and Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles).
After Mbappe was left on the bench at the weekend, he is expected to return to the starting XI here, given the significance of this tie, and will be looking to add to his 34-goal league tally for the season when he lines up against Nice. Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola will provide support from either wing.
Enrique also switched goalkeepers for the draw with Reims. But Gianluigi Donnarumma is expected to reclaim his starting spot over Keylor Navas. Apart from that, there is nothing that would disrupt Enrique’s current starting eleven.
Lucas Beraldo and Lucas Hernandez will again play as a central defensive pairing, while Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes will man the defensive flanks. Vitinha could sit at the base of their midfield, with Warren Zaire-Emery and Fabian Ruiz on either side of the 4-3-3.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Beraldo, Hernandez, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Dembele, Mbappe, Barcola
OGC Nice
Nice were able to welcome back Youssouf Ndayishimiye after the Burundi man was suspended for the defeat at Toulouse last week. Midfielder Morgan Sanson did return to the squad at the weekend, making a 20-minute cameo off the bench following a minor knee problem, and he should be good to feature from the outset here.
They will remain without some important first-team players, though, as Sofiane Diop and Valentin Rosier are all out injured. Defensive solidity was the basis of everything behind Nice’s early success, and they still have the best record in the league, having conceded just 19 goals in 25 games. But shortcomings in other areas have risen in recent weeks.
Terem Moffi bagged a fine brace in the corresponding fixture in the league earlier this season. But Africa Cup of Nations duty has hindered his fitness and scoring form. Jeremie Boga scored the solo goal for his side in the 2-1 defeat to Montpellier last game. But the Ivory Coast international has managed just four goals and two assists.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Bulka; Rosario, Todibo, Dante; Sanson, Boudaoui, Thuram, Bard; Laborde, Moffi, Boga
Key Stats
- PSG have lost just once at home all season, though, that defeat came in September at the hands of Nice (3-2).
- OGC Nice are winless across their last five fixtures, losing four (D1).
- PSG have kept just one clean sheet in their past 11 home matches.
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Nice are unbeaten in their three Coupe de France meetings against PSG (W2, D1).
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Four of the last six meetings between them have produced under 2.5 goals, with three clean sheets for either side.
Player to Watch
Kylian Mbappe
Flamboyant superstar Kylian Mbappe is a talent that outperforms the rest of the Ligue 1. This season, he has scored 21 goals so far and is currently leading the top-scorer charts. He will look to add to his tally of six goals in three Coupe de France matches this season.
Prediction
Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 OGC Nice
Luis Enrique’s men will be regarded as the favourites to progress to the semi-finals for the first time in three years here. With eyes on a unique treble, PSG will be keen to secure a comfortable passage into the Last Four, which they should achieve against out-of-sorts opponents.
Nice’s terrible form since the start of February means they are in for a long night here, and with revenge for their sole league defeat likely to be on PSG’s mind, the Parisians could emerge as emphatic 3-0 victors.
