Paris Saint-Germain face Lille on Saturday in a conflict of France’s remaining Champions League hopefuls earlier than a doubtlessly season-defining showdown with Liverpool within the final 16.
Luis Enrique’s aspect are 13 factors clear in Ligue 1 and crusing in the direction of an eleventh title in 13 seasons. In addition they reached the French Cup semi-finals on Wednesday with a 7-0 rout of fourth-tier Stade Briochin.
The subsequent two weeks although will go an extended option to figuring out how PSG’s season is actually judged, given the membership has dominated French soccer since its Qatari takeover in 2011.
Paris host Liverpool subsequent Wednesday on the Parc des Princes after which journey to Anfield for the second leg six days later, in a tie described by Luis Enrique as “extraordinarily engaging”.
However the runaway Premier League leaders will current PSG with their most difficult check of the marketing campaign, and Arne Slot’s gamers are set to be nicely rested after having the weekend off because of their early exit from the FA Cup.
That was a problem raised by Lille, who unsuccessfully tried to get their journey to the capital rearranged forward of their assembly with Borussia Dortmund subsequent Tuesday.
“My solely remorse is that the Champions League final 16 has been scheduled for a very long time,” mentioned Lille coach Bruno Genesio.
“So both we did not consider in French golf equipment qualifying for the final 16, or maybe there was one other manner of doing issues and never scheduling a Lille-PSG sport three days earlier than the primary leg of a Champions League tie.”
He added: “It may need been a bit smarter if we might thought a bit additional forward.”
Lille’s type has dipped considerably since a 21-game unbeaten run was ended by Liverpool final month, with winger Edon Zhegrova nonetheless sidelined by a groin harm that was initially misdiagnosed and has saved him out since mid-December.
They will even must take care of Ousmane Dembele, the league’s prime scorer with 17 targets — 12 of which have are available his final seven begins.
Lille captain Benjamin Andre, who performed with a teenage Dembele at Rennes, mentioned he was not stunned by his former team-mate’s transformation right into a prolific scorer.
“Each time he performed, he scored,” Andre mentioned of Dembele’s 2015-16 season at Rennes which led to a transfer to Dortmund.
“He had unbelievable expertise, however a mindset that was a bit misplaced in soccer as a result of he is a bit loopy, very jovial, a bit disconnected.
“He simply wanted issues to click on. As soon as that occurs, he is a unprecedented participant, he is two-footed, has nice intuition. His ending was only a matter of time.”
Marseille host Nantes on Sunday making an attempt to shake off a 3-0 defeat by Auxerre, with membership president Pablo Longoria serving the beginning of a 15-match ban for claiming his membership have been victims of “corruption”.
Monaco will attempt to cease their downward spiral at house to out-of-sorts Reims on Friday. Lyon host Brest on Sunday and Habib Beye’s resurgent Rennes go to backside aspect Montpellier.
Participant to observe: Gaetan Laborde
The 30-year-old Good ahead has been instrumental in his staff’s rise into the Champions League locations.
After lacking two months with a damaged foot early within the season, Laborde needed to wait patiently for his likelihood to return to the line-up however has now made it practically not possible for coach Franck Haise to depart him out.
Eight of his 9 targets — Laborde is degree with Evann Guessand for the staff lead — have come within the final 10 video games, coinciding with a run throughout which Good have taken 23 factors from a doable 30.
He’ll look to add to that tally towards Saint-Etienne, who have been thrashed 8-0 away to Good earlier within the season when Laborde was out injured.
Key stats
12 – Reims are winless in 12 video games, dropping from seventh place to fifteenth in that point.
19 – factors collected by Good this yr, probably the most in Ligue 1 together with PSG.
54 – targets conceded by Montpellier. Solely Bordeaux have shipped extra at this stage of a season this century.
Fixtures (all instances GMT)
Friday
Monaco v Reims (1945)
Saturday
Saint-Etienne v Good (1600), Lens v Le Havre (1800), Paris Saint-Germain (2005)
Sunday
Lyon v Brest (1400), Montpellier v Rennes, Auxerre v Strasbourg, Angers v Toulouse (1615), Marseille v Nantes (1945)
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