PSG will play AS Monaco for the third time in a short span, with the reigning champions eager to retain or extend their advantage at the top.
RC Lens held a slender lead at the top for a brief period, but over the last two matchdays, they have dropped points, allowing the reigning Ligue 1 champions took full advantage. PSG are now four points clear at the top following their 1-0 win over Le Havre the last time out, while they will thank their next opponents, AS Monaco, for defeating RC Lens a week or so before.
PSG will meet Monaco for a third time in quick succession following their success over them in the Champions League play-offs. Both games ended competitively, with Monaco resilient right until the end, but it was Luis Enrique’s side who came out on top, and now they have a date set with Chelsea next week.
Ahead of the early kick-off this weekend, PSG will aim to get their momentum in place and get another important win to consolidate their position in the Ligue 1 table. Hence, Enrique will want another big win in the bag to at least keep hold of their four-point advantage at the very top.
Including the 2-2 Champions League draw, Monaco have failed to beat PSG at the Parc des Princes for the sixth straight game. Sebastien Pocognoli will want to see his side build on the momentum from their last two Ligue 1 victories over RC Lens and then Angers.
Those results have lifted Monaco into seventh place. Pocognoli’s side are still within range of a top-four finish, but for that to be achieved, they must win a considerable number of games between now and the end. Without European football to manage, Monaco may just fight for a Champions League berth, but they must overcome a big challenge away at PSG.
Team News & Tactics
PSG
Enrique has the familiar problems facing him when it comes to injuries, as star man Ousmane Dembele is still out with a calf issue suffered in the first leg of their Champions League game against Monaco.
Senny Mayulu is another absentee with a similar problem, while Fabian Ruiz is yet to overcome a knee problem that has been plaguing him for several weeks now. There are further doubts over Joao Neves due to a sore ankle, while Quentin Ndjantou is still nursing a hamstring problem.
At the back, Enrique could continue to stick with Matvey Safonov instead of Lucas Chevalier, while key attacker Bradley Barcola is expected to keep his place in the side.
With a key Champions League game approaching, Enrique might rest Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, meaning Desire Doue and Goncalo Ramos could get a run in the attacking setup for PSG against AS Monaco this week.
Probable Line-up (4-3-3): Safonov; Hakimi, Zabarnyi, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Fernandez; Doue, Ramos, Barcola
AS Monaco
Pocognoli also has his fair share of injury issues to deal with, with the likes of Mohammed Salisu, Takumi Minamino, Paul Pogba, and Lukas Hradecky all absent with fitness issues. Eric Dier is yet to recover from a hamstring issue, while Kassoum Ouattara is still faced with a calf problem that may see him miss out alongside Krepin Diatta for this trip to Paris.
With a host of absentees to deal with, Pocognoli might use Denis Zakaria in a back three alongside Thilo Kehrer and Wout Faes. Vanderson and Caio Henrique will be stationed in the wing-back roles, with Lamine Camara and Teze stationed in midfield. At the moment, Folarin Balogun has been in a decent vein of form, scoring in successive Ligue 1 outings, as he will lead the line.
Despite Simon Adingra netting last weekend, the former Brighton man may find himself on the bench as Pocognoli might prefer Maghnes Akliouche and Aleksandr Golovin to play in the attacking third alongside Balogun.
Probable Line-up (3-4-2-1): Kohn; Kehrer, Zakaria, Faes; Vanderson, Teze, Camara, Henrique; Akliouche, Golovin; Balogun
Key Stats
- PSG are unbeaten in their last six home meetings against Monaco.
- Paris Saint-Germain have kept a clean sheet in five of their last seven matches in Ligue 1.
- Monaco have won their last three matches in Ligue 1.
- Monaco have not done the league double over PSG since the 2020-21 season.
Player to Watch
Goncalo Ramos
Once again, Ramos will benefit from a start owing to the key Champions League game against Chelsea next week. Despite the Portuguese attacker being labelled as a second-choice player under Enrique, he has featured quite a lot, which currently reads as 35 games across all competitions, while he scored and assisted in his last Ligue 1 start against Metz.
Once again, the absence of Dembele could be crucial for PSG, as players like Ramos have the chance to showcase that they can perform without the Ballon d’Or holder. Ramos can put in a performance against Monaco and further strengthen his claim for a starting spot in the next few games of the season, including the Champions League game against Chelsea.
Prediction
PSG 2-1 Monaco
Monaco boss Pocognoli might have a better insight into this game after facing the Parisians twice in quick succession. In both those games, his team put in a big fight but could not get it over the line, as he hopes to get third time lucky.
However, given the overall strength of this PSG side, there is only one winner in this contest, although this could still prove to be a tough encounter for the Parisians. Overall, PSG are expected to take three points, although they are susceptible to conceding a goal at some stage of the game.