Luis Enrique will continue to look towards building fitness levels alongside picking up results as PSG takes on Angers SCO on Friday night.
PSG are still not at their optimal best fitness-wise ahead of the game against Angers SCO, considering they did not have any form of pre-season game. Their levels were on display in the UEFA Super Cup, with Tottenham dominating the game on all fronts at least until the 85th minute of the game, when they allowed the Parisians to get a foothold in the game.
PSG scored then and again in injury time to take the game to penalties, as Luis Enrique’s men conquered their first trophy of the campaign at the expense of Spurs. There was no time for them between that clash and the Ligue 1 opener away at Angers, as the Parisians managed to scrape past the Canaries with a 1-0 scoreline owing to a solitary goal from Vitinha.
Enrique will be happy that the upcoming few fixtures are somewhat favourable, especially the one against Angers, against whom they have had a dominant record of being unbeaten for 18 games running. Enrique will want the run to continue against Angers, and the PSG manager will demand another win from his under-prepared players to build momentum for the season ahead.
Alexandre Dujeux will be aware of his team, Angers and the underdog status heading to Paris. Not only have the team now beaten PSG since 1975, but they have also never scored in back-to-back trips at this venue. Hence, the travelling fans are thoroughly expecting a defeat in this clash, but there’s hope after the side made a good start to the new campaign.
In the first round, Angers incidentally played another team from the capital city, having hosted newly promoted Paris FC. Esteban Lepaul’s early goal in the game gave Angers the lead, and despite allowing the visitors to dominate, largely due to a red card in the 57th minute to Louis Mouton, Angers held fort and kept hold of the slender lead to take it over the line.
Team News & Tactics
PSG
Luis Enrique is expected to field a strong lineup despite some of his key players still lacking in fitness. The manager had left out key personnel such as Marquinhos, Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Desire Doue, Nuno Mendes, and Achraf Hakimi from his lineup against Nantes, with all six expected to return to the main team for Angers.
There could be a place for Bradley Barcola and Lee Kang-in in the lineup, while Joao Neves is expected to sit on the bench for this one, having served a suspension. Hakimi, Marquinhos, and Mendes are expected to give Willian Pacho company at the back alongside new goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.
Doue might be the only returning player out of the six to find himself on the bench, and Enrique might continue with Barcola in the front three, but Goncalo Ramos could make way for Dembele to start.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Chevalier; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Lee, Vitinha, Ruiz; Barcola, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
Angers SCO
Louis Mouton’s red card against Paris FC will keep him out of this contest against PSG, so Angers SCO manager Alexandre Dujeux must find a solution to replace him in the setup when they take on PSG on Friday.
Last season’s second-highest scorer, Himad Abdelli, is also out of the contest, and top scorer and last game’s goal getter Esteban Lepaul will lead the line without a doubt. Ousmane Camara, Carlens Arcus and Jordan Lefort are expected to form the back line for Angers.
Lilian Raolisoa and Florent Hanin are the wing-backs in the lineup. Pierrick Capelle and Haris Belkebla are expected to feature in central midfield. Yassin Belkhdim and Sidiki Cherif are the ones playing the most advanced roles in the setup, as Lepaul leads the line for Angers SCO against PSG.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Koffi; Camara, Arcus, Lefort; Raolisoa, Capelle, Belkebla, Hanin; Belkhdim, Cherif; Lepaul
Key Stats
PSG have won their last 18 matches against Angers in all competitions.
Paris Saint-Germain have won 13 of their last 16 matches in Ligue 1.
Angers SCO have not defeated PSG since 1975.
Angers SCO have not scored in back-to-back visits to PSG.
Player to Watch
Bradley Barcola
Embed from Getty Images
The young winger has been involved heavily in the opening parts of the season, and games like the ones against Angers could be a good chance for him to get a grip on a starting role for PSG. However, there is a bit of pressure on the winger to keep hold of his place with Desire Doue returning to action, and a good performance on home soil could help him.
Barcola also possesses a good recent record against Angers, having scored a brace last season. Hence, there’s enough incentive for Luis Enrique to start Barcola ahead of Doue, and this is a chance for the former to justify his place for now and future games with a stellar performance on Friday night.
Prediction
PSG 2-0 Angers SCO
Angers are the clear underdogs in this contest against PSG despite their squad being better in terms of fitness compared to the Parisians. However, their dreadful record against the home side will play on their minds ahead of this visit, and possibly allow PSG the edge in this contest.
Luis Enrique wants his players to keep improving their fitness levels, and with another favorable fixture to strike off, the manager would want a good enough performance. On paper, PSG are the favourites to take three points and collect a clean sheet.