Paris Saint-Germain missing key players for Lyon clash – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Groupama Stadium is the venue as Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain go head-to-head in a heavyweight Ligue 1 showdown on Sunday night.
There is nothing to separate the sides ahead of kick-off, as they both trail league-leaders Lille by three points.
The outcome of this fixture could well determine both teams’ fate in the ongoing title race.
Lyon have outplayed PSG on more occasions than any other French side since the wealthy Qatari owners purchased the club in 2011/12 (GP:19 – W5 D3 L11).
A 1-0 win at the Parc des Princes in the reverse fixture puts Olympique in a position to claim their first top-flight double over Paris since 2007/08.
Lyon Preview
Since losing 2-1 to Montpellier at home on Matchday 25, Lyon have gone unbeaten in four consecutive Ligue 1 matches, alternating between a win and a draw on each occasion (W2, D2).
Four of Lyon’s last five league games have seen the deadlock broken within 35 minutes and both teams on the scoresheet at full-time.
Only against Reims (27%) do Les Gones have a worse win-ratio than against PSG (31%) of all teams currently competing in the French top-flight, having defeated Paris in just 26 of their 83 Ligue 1 clashes.
Rudi Garcia’s men have failed to keep a clean sheet against PSG in their last six league fixtures at the Groupama Stadium, their joint-longest such run against the current top-flight sides.
The hosts have lost two of their last league matches at this venue (W3) after going undefeated in their previous 13 Ligue 1 outings on home turf (W8, D5).
PSG Preview
Coming into this matchday, PSG have won three successive away Ligue 1 fixtures by an aggregate score of 7-0, setting their longest winning run on the road this season.
When the Parisians win away from home, it tends to be emphatical, with 88.89% of their Ligue 1 victories on the road yielding a clean sheet (8/9).
But, the reigning champions have failed to stage a comeback in any of the three Ligue 1 trips in which they conceded the opening goal this term (D1, L2).
Mauricio Pochettino’s men have failed to beat any of the remaining three top-four sides in Ligue 1 this season (D1, L3), drawing a blank in the last three such contests.
Paris enter this round as one of only two sides alongside Lyon yet to concede a goal inside the opening 15 minutes away from home this league campaign.
Team News
Lyon
Out: N/A.
Doubts: N/A.
Paris Saint-Germain
Out: Presnel Kimpembe, Juan Bernat, Pablo Sarabia, Neymar.
Doubts: Mauro Icardi.
Predicted Line-ups
Lyon (4-3-3): Anthony Lopes; Leo Dubois, Jason Denayer, Marcelo, Maxwel Cornet; Lucas Paqueta, Thiago Mendes, Houssem Aouar; Karl Toko Ekambi, Tino Kadewere, Memphis Depay.
Paris Saint-Germain (4-2-3-1): Keylor Navas; Alessandro Florenzi, Abdou Diallo, Marquinhos, Layvin Kurzawa; Leandro Paredes, Idrissa Gueye; Marco Verratti, Angel Di Maria, Kylian Mbappe; Moise Kean.