(Football news) Prior to the international break, Luis Enrique’s crop destroyed struggling Lyon 4-1, and Les Aiglons cruised through Strasbourg 2-0 to earn their first victory of the year. While the shocking dressing-down of their own players by the Lyon fans naturally dominated the post-match news, PSG calmly went about their business at the Groupama Stadium, scoring four goals during an electrifying first-half performance.
Before the halftime buzzer sounded, goals from Kylian Mbappe twice, Achraf Hakimi once, and Marco Asensio once put the game beyond doubt. Corentin Tolisso did manage to salvage a point for Les Gones from the penalty spot, but a miraculous comeback was never in the cards for Les Gones.
Enrique had a slow start to his tenure as coach after back-to-back draws with Lorient and Toulouse, but PSG have since rekindled their quest for a third straight Ligue 1 championship after scoring seven goals in their past two games against Lens and Lyon.
Although Reims, Rennes, and Le Havre may all match PSG’s eight goals, their eight points out of a potential 12 only puts them in second position behind early leaders Monaco, whose 13 goals also make them the only team to surpass PSG’s total.
However, the champions’ thrashing of Lyon just before the international break was only their second win from their last six Ligue 1 matches, and a run of three victories from their last eight matches at Parc des Princes is an ugly record ahead of their Champions League opener against Borussia Dortmund, not to mention the first Classique of the season against Marseille in gameweek six as well.
Similar to its impending hosts, Nice similarly started their 2023–24 season in a respectable but unspectacular manner, earning three points from their opening three games against Lille, Lorient, and Lyon before scoring four points when Strasbourg came to town.
Just before halftime at the Allianz Riviera, Youcef Atal scored a sweet goal that he struck with his left foot into the far corner of the goal. With 15 minutes left, Terem Moffi, who had earlier hit the post with a delicate dink, successfully chipped in to put the outcome beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Although Les Aiglons’ preseason performance was less than stellar, they currently hold seventh place in the early standings as their continental push picks up steam. Les Aiglons are one of only five clubs to still have an undefeated record.
Nice’s victory over Strasbourg also saw Farioli’s team exact some revenge for a 2-0 loss to Les Coureurs back in May, which stands as their only loss in their last 10 Ligue 1 games. The visitors have also only been defeated five times on the road in the top flight since the beginning of the previous campaign.
Although Nice did defeat the champions in the capital as recently as January 2022, winning a last-16 Coupe de France match on penalties, PSG did suffer one of those losses at Parc des Princes, scraping to a 2-1 victory over Les Aiglons last October before leaving the Allianz Riviera with a 2-0 victory to their name in April.
PSG Ligue 1 Form
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Nice Ligue 1 Form
Enrique and his medical staff will need to make careful assessments because many of PSG’s international stars will be playing for their nations during the international break. Mbappe’s knee injury kept him out of Les Bleus’ loss to Germany in a friendly, which has raised some concerns for Enrique and his staff.
Mbappe was able to practise regularly this week, but Enrique may decide not to put players like Marquinhos, Manuel Ugarte, and Keylor Navas, who must all reacclimate to French time zones after returning to their respective continents, at danger.
Lee Kang-in (muscle), Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles), Juan Bernat (muscle), Nuno Mendes (hamstring), Nordi Mukiele (hamstring), Sergio Rico (head), Fabian Ruiz (thigh) and Alexandre Letellier (knee) have also been taking up beds in the infirmary, while Asensio – who has two goals and an assist to show from his first three Ligue 1 matches – sustained an apparent muscular problem in Spain’s recent clash with Georgia and is facing a few weeks out.
Goncalo Ramos of Portugal and Randal Kolo Muani, a recent acquisition, may thus compete for the starting position at the point of the attack, while veteran midfielder Marco Verratti has officially joined Qatari team Al Arabi.
The door may be open for Southampton loanee Romain Perraud to make his first Ligue 1 start since May 2021, which curiously came against PSG, as Nice lost regular left-back Melvin Bard to injury 13 minutes before the conclusion of their victory against Strasbourg.
Antoine Mendy (knee), Alexis Claude-Maurice (calf), and much-loved midfielder Khephren Thuram (thigh) are all currently in the hospital. Alexis Claude-Maurice is also struggling with a thigh issue and is questionable for the journey to Paris.
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