PSG return to action on home soil for the first time this season as Parc Des Princes welcomes Montpellier to Paris.
Luis Enrique will feel relieved after his team’s performances in their Ligue 1 opener against Le Havre as PSG, who face Montpellier this week, began life after the departure of Kylian Mbappe. The Parisians started in fine fashion with a goal from Lee Kang-in, but the home side equalised early in the second half.
The Parisians struggled to break down the opposition defence despite dominating the game for significant periods. While many would have sighed at the prospect of opening their Ligue 1 account with a draw, a flurry of late strikes from Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and a Randal Kolo Muani penalty at the death helped Enqique’s side collect all three points.
From here on, the Spanish coach will want good results to help PSG propel themselves to an early lead position on the table. For the last two seasons, Les Parisiens have allowed other sides to gather momentum. While they have come good in the end, Enrique will want an early advantage in the season to then focus on their UEFA Champions League campaign. For now, he hopes for PSG to score three points against visiting Montpellier.
Montpellier boss Michel Der Zakarian would not have been satisfied with his team’s performance in their opening game against Strasbourg. In a clash primarily dominated by the away side, Montpellier had to rely on a penalty from Teji Savanier to earn a point, as the manager would want more from his attacking players.
The Montpellier boss will likely dream of a result against PSG, against whom the record is awful. With a stuttering start to their campaign, the visitors might have revisited their seasonal objective of qualifying for Europe in some form. They might take a more cautious approach ahead of their touch clash away in Paris.
Team News & Tactics
PSG
Luis Enrique has already lost a player this season in Goncalo Ramos, who went off the pitch with an ankle problem just 20 minutes into the game against Le Havre. There are many candidates to replace the Portuguese striker, who now joins defenders Presnel Kimpembe and Lucas Hernandez on the sidelines.
There is a place in the setup for new arrival Willian Pacho, who will slot alongside Lucas Beraldo in the central defensive positions. Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi are best placed for the full-back roles, while Gianluigi Donnarumma is firmly settled between the sticks.
There are doubts about whether Enrique will rush Fabian Ruiz into his starting lineup just yet after the midfielder’s extended holidays following Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph. He has rejoined training but may lack match sharpness, which does make him an option off the bench.
Hence, Vitinha, Warren Zaire-Emery and Lee Kang-in are expected to begin the home game against Montpellier. Kolo Muani might come in to replace Ramos at the tip of PSG’s attack, with support from Marco Asensio and Barcola on either side, with Dembele likely to start from the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Pacho, Beraldo, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Lee; Marco Asensio, Kolo Muani, Barcola
Montpellier
Michel Der Zakarian might stick to the same starting lineup that drew against Strasbourg to give his players the necessary continuity. In the injury-led absence of Wahbi Khazri, AJ Adams might continue to lead the line, with the other players placed in the exact spot as in the previous encounter.
There might be the instance that the manager might revert to a 4-3-3. But goalscorer Teji Savanier will likely want to keep playing in that No.10 role. Hence, a midfield double-pivot of Joris Chotard and Jordan Ferri will take their spots, with Arnaud Nordin and Mousa Al-Tamari completing the attacking setup through the wings.
At the back, Der Zakarian will keep hold of the same backline despite some indiscipline from those stars in the draw against Strasbourg. Enzo Tchato, Becir Omeragic, Modibo Sagnan and Falaye Sacko are likely starters in that defence, with Lecomte firmly settled between the sticks.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Lecomte; Tchato, Omeragic, Sagnan, Sacko; Chotard, Ferri; Nordin, Savanier, Al-Tamari; Adams
Key Stats
- PSG have won their last six games against Montpellier in all competitions.
- PSG only won nine of their 17 home games in Ligue 1 last season.
- PSG scored nine goals across two games against Montpellier in Ligue 1 last season while conceding twice.
- Montpellier have lost 11 games in a row against PSG, conceding 40 goals in those games.
Player to Watch
Randal Kolo Muani
Luis Enrique will look closely at Kolo Muani to deliver the goods for PSG this season following the departure of Mbappe during the summer. The France International has big shoes to fill in terms of seniority and the way his manager wants the attack to play out.
Kolo Muani still retains the reputation of a clinical goalscorer. But this might be the season where he must improve his numbers exponentially and deliver. He has already opened his account in Ligue 1 from the spot, but the PSG manager will want to see more from the attacker in the clash against Montpellier and beyond.
Prediction
PSG 3-1 Montpellier
Montpellier come into the game against PSG on the back of eleven straight defeats against their hosts and have a reputation for conceding multiple goals in this fixture. Their manager will focus on conceding less, but they might have to be clinical enough to take the meagre opportunities that arrive on their feet.
However, PSG are too mighty for Montpellier’s liking, meaning the hosts are the overwhelming favourites to take three points and remain on the table in Ligue 1. The Parisians have the attacking force and the defensive stability to hold the fort, although, at the back, they are a bit susceptible at times, which could see them conceding an odd goal during this clash.
