An underperforming PSG will be eager to get back to winning ways as they make the trip to take on Auxerre on Friday.
Christophe Pelissier will have his objectives clear ahead of this mammoth clash with PSG on home soil for Auxerre. The hosts will look away from their away form and focus on their setup at home, where they are only better than PSG this season, and it’s a big achievement considering they are one of the newly promoted sides this season.
Auxerre have taken 15 points from their six home games in Ligue 1 this season, and only PSG are better in that regard. There is an air of confidence about the newly-promoted side, as they are jammed in a tight midtable contest. Pelissier will sense every opportunity to break into the top four, much like RC Lens and Brest have done over the last two seasons.
In any case, dreams are built on big results, as Pelissier will be hoping for one against PSG. However, the Auxerre manager personally has a dismal record against the Parisians, losing nine of his twelve encounters with the Ligue 1 champions, something he will want to get one over in their game next.
Luis Enrique has come under increasing pressure for another bad performance from his players, as they dropped points against Nantes. PSG were the overwhelming favourites in the home clash against the Canaries but ended up dropping points as they were unable to make things right for themselves in the attacking third.
Despite a healthy amount of shots and those on target, PSG were not able to breach the Nantes goal after they scored early through Achraf Hakimi. This will play in Enrique’s mind, especially after that UEFA Champions League defeat last week, as there’s solid pressure mounting on the Spaniard.
Their dropped points at the weekend resulted in reducing their gap at the top to just seven points. Hence, a big result against Auxerre will be the way forward for Enrique and his troops, as it will elevate the pressure before they resume their Champions League campaign next.
Team News & Tactics
Auxerre
Auxerre will be without Ange-Loic N’Gatta ahead of the home clash with PSG, as he joins Ousoumane Camara and Lasso Coulibaly, with the pair out at least until the new year. Gideon Mensah is also out of the game, as with time, there will be new updates on his potential return. Christophe Pelissier will continue to deploy his preferred style of having three defenders at the back and the usage of wingbacks.
Paul Joly and Clement Akpa are the preferred options in the wide roles, while the Auxerre boss will choose Rayan Raveloson and Elisha Owusu are the main midfielders in the central zones. Gabriel Osho wil continue to marshall that back three, as he will have Jubal and Sinaly Diomande on either side.
Hamed Traore, with his six goals this season, only trails Bradley Barcola, Mason Greenwood, and Jonathan David in the scoring charts, as Auxerre will continue to rely on him to give them an edge in the attacking third. He will have Gaetan Perrin by his side in the advanced zones, as Pelissier will continue to prefer Lassine Sinayoko to lead the line ahead of the likes of Theo Bair and Ado Onaiwu.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Leon; Jubal, Osho, Diomande; Joly, Raveloson, Owusu, Akpa; Perrin, Traore; Sinayoko
PSG
PSG comes into this clash without any fresh injury concerns, as Senny Mayulu, Lucas Hernandez, and Presnel Kimpembe are the ones sidelined for the time being. Enrique will have been happy to have Goncalo Ramos back in action, starting last weekend. Hence, the Portuguese striker might wait to start back-to-back games, especially when the manager will want to lend his full focus on the Champions League game next week.
Hence, Marco Asensio should be in line to lead the attack once more. Ramos’s presence will also boost Enrique’s attacking options, as Randal Kolo Muani looks completely out of the picture in the Spaniard’s plans at the moment.
Ousmane Dembele will also start on the right side of the front three, as the French winger will serve a suspension for the next Champions League encounter. So, Luis Enrique will expect him to play a big role against Auxere. Marquinhos and Willian Pacho are the preferred centre-backs for this clash, while last weekend’s goalscorer Achraf Hakimi will start at right back, as Nuno Mendes keeps his place on the other flank.
Matvey Safonov will keep his place in goal for the time being, as Gianluigi Donnarumma might view himself as the starting goalkeeper in midweek. Joao Neves, Vitihnha and Warren Zaire-Emery are the likely midfield trio to support those front three stars.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Dembele, Asensio, Barcola
Key Stats
Auxerre have taken 15 points from their six home games in Ligue 1 this season, with only PSG taking more.
Christophe Pelissier has lost nine of his last 12 games when facing PSG.
Paris Saint-Germain are undefeated in their last 15 matches in Ligue 1.
Paris Saint-Germain have won their last three matches against Auxerre in all competitions.
Player to Watch
Ousmane Dembele
Embed from Getty Images
Barcola has been PSG’s main attacking threat for PSG in Ligue 1, and his 10 goals show why. Dembele, on the other hand, may have to step up in a big way and increase his output, and given his game is more than only scoring goals, the French winger will have to start putting the ball in the back of the net more often.
With the Frenchman also suspended for the midweek UEFA Champions League clash, he can put in a stellar performance against Auxerre without the pressure of the European clash. Hence, with PSG’s fortunes fluctuating all season long, Dembele might have to come up with the answer to stabilise things at the club, especially when it comes to matters in the league.
Prediction
Auxerre 1-3 PSG
Auxerre might come into this clash with some level of positivity, given how good their home form has been this season. They might have aspirations to break into one of the European spots, preferably the UEFA Champions League places, and to get to that level, this team will need results against teams like PSG.
PSG are not in good shape at the moment, although they will always have the fear factor to come back from adversity and bounce back in a big way. Hence, one might assume Auxerre will not like the timing of this fixture, as Les Parisiens will make a statement win out of this clash and give themselves an early advantage in the Ligue 1 standings.