Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 title credentials will next be tested on Friday at Stade Raymond-Kopa against Angers SCO, who have hopes of kickstarting their fight against relegation.
Paris Saint-Germain defeated Lens 3-1 at home in their last Ligue 1 match, leaving them eight points clear of Olympique Marseille at the top of the table.
Angers SCO sit in last place on 14 points, 17 points adrift of safety with seven matches left. Angers were defeated 2-1 in their last Ligue 1 match at Stade Gabriel Montpied against Clermont.
PSG won the last Ligue 1 meeting between the teams, emerging victorious 2-0 at Parc des Princes in January. Hugo Ekitike struck first for PSG in the fifth minute. Lionel Messi also was on the scoresheet.
PSG have got the better of Angers of late, unbeaten in their last 14 Ligue 1 matches (W13 D1 L0). Angers are looking for their first league win in encounters between the two sides since December 2015. PSG have outscored les Scoïstes 39-6 during their unbeaten streak.
Kylian Mbappé has been the leading attacking threat for PSG, scoring on 20 occasions, including seven match-opening goals. The striker is tied at the top of the competition’s scoring charts in 2022/2023.
Adrien Hunou, Abdallah Sima, and Nabil Bentaleb have made a difference in crucial moments for Angers this season. Hunou is the team’s leading scorer with four goals, followed by Sima and Bentaleb with three each.
Hosts Angers will seek to address a poor run of results on home soil this season with three draws, 11 losses, and just two wins in 16 Ligue 1 contests.
With 11 wins, one draw, and just three losses on their travels, PSG boast a fine away record in league away matches this campaign. PSG are looking to add to a three-match away winning streak. The last time they failed to win away was February 11 against Monaco.
In their last six league matches, Angers have won one, drawn one and lost four. PSG, meanwhile, have won four and lost two in their last six.
Angers will be without the services of Nabil Bentaleb on Friday through suspension, while the home side are also missing a number of players due to fitness problems.
Indeed, Pierrick Capelle, Farid El Melali, Amine Salama, Miha Blazic, Ilyas Chetti, Ali Kalla and Ulrick Eneme-Ella will all miss out for the basement side against the reigning champions.
Head coach Dujeux could also be missing Halid Sabanovic and Cedric Hountondji, while Bentaleb’s absence could lead to Jean-Matteo Bahoya being introduced in central midfield.
As for PSG, Timothee Pembele, Renato Sanches, Marco Verratti, Nordi Mukiele, Presnel Kimpembe and Neymar will miss the contest through injury.
Galtier’s squad has been stretched due to the absences, but with no European football at this stage of the campaign, the players have been able to recover in recent days, so it could be the same XI that took to the field for the first whistle against Lens last time out.
A 3-5-2 formation should see Mbappe and Messi operate as the front two, with Vitinha expected to keep his spot in central midfield alongside Fabian Ruiz and Carlos Soler.
Angers possible starting lineup:
Bernardoni; Rao-Lisoa, Valery, Bamba, Ghoulam, Kalumba; Bahoya, Mendy, Hunou; Abdelli, Niane
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Marquinhos, Ramos, Danilo; Hakimi, Soler, Ruiz, Vitinha, Mendes; Messi, Mbappe
