Striving to keep their unbeaten league record intact, Paris Saint-Germain will welcome an in-form Lyon outfit to Parc des Princes on Sunday night in Ligue 1.
Les Parisiens secured a much-needed success in the League Phase of the Champions League earlier in the week, whilst Les Gones enjoyed a productive night on home soil in the Europa League.
Match preview
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Winning just one of their opening five contests in the revamped League Phase of the Champions League and sitting in the elimination zone as a result, Paris Saint-Germain were in desperate need of maximum points as they travelled to Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg on Tuesday night.
Despite head coach Luis Enrique claiming that the performance of his side was worse than the one that led to defeat against Atletico Madrid in November, Les Parisiens managed a relatively-comfortable victory in the end, with goals from Goncalo Ramos, Nuno Mendes and Desire Doue securing a 3-0 triumph.
PSG are still one point behind a top-24 spot in the Champions League rankings ahead of January battles versus Manchester City and Stuttgart, with the capital club's form a stark contrast on the domestic scene, where Les Parisiens have enjoyed a 14-game unbeaten run at the start of the Ligue 1 term.
That being said, Enrique will have been frustrated at his side's inability to collect maximum points from any of their last two matches in the top flight, with the French champions held to a 1-1 draw at home by Nantes on November 30 before playing out a goalless affair at Auxerre last Friday night.
Five points clear of second-placed Marseille at the summit of the Ligue 1 table, PSG are on course for the retention of their French crown at a canter despite the departure of club legend Kylian Mbappe over the summer, with the likes of Bradley Barcola stepping up to the attacking plate.
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Since a narrow one-goal defeat to Turkish powerhouses Besiktas in the Europa League at the end of October, Lyon have strung together an impressive nine-game unbeaten run across all competitions, meaning that they should be quietly confident of causing an upset at Parc des Princes this weekend.
Les Gones are edging towards a spot in the last 16 of the Europa League after a successful evening of work at Groupama Stadium on Thursday, when goals from Premier League-linked Rayan Cherki, Malick Fofana and Ernest Nuamah sealed a 3-2 win over Bundesliga challengers Eintracht Frankfurt.
Focusing on the domestic scene, Lyon will arrive in the French capital this weekend on the back of handing out consecutive Ligue 1 thrashings, beating Europe-chasing Nice 4-1 at Groupama Stadium on December 1 before hitting relegation-threatened Angers for three without reply on December 7.
Aiming to extend their overall unbeaten streak into double digits on Sunday, Pierre Sage's troops can bring their unbeaten spell in away matches up to a sensational nine, with Les Gones last suffering defeat on the road at midtable dwellers Rennes at the conclusion of August.
Facing the division's most potent attack, Lyon will be hoping to continue their defensive prowess this weekend, with Sunday's visitors conceding just six goals across seven Ligue 1 outings so far in 2024-25.
Team News
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After 18 months on the sidelines due to a serious muscle injury, PSG centre-back Presnel Kimpembe is back in first-team training and edging towards a return to competitive action.
Les Parisiens are also without the services of Senny Mayulu, who is expected to be sidelined for the majority of December due to a calf issue.
Serving a one-match suspension in the Champions League earlier this week, Ousmane Dembele will be raring to get back on the pitch for the hosts in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
Featuring for seven minutes in Austria on Tuesday, Lucas Hernandez made his long-awaited return from injury and should play a part for PSG this weekend.
Lyon have no fresh injury concerns following Thursday night's win over Eintracht Frankfurt, meaning that Sage could stick with an unchanged XI.
Despite showcasing their attacking powers at stages this season, Said Benrahma and Georges Mikautadze are currently being forced to settle for spots on the bench.
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Hernandez; Ruiz, Vitinha, Neves; Dembele, Barcola, Ramos
Lyon possible starting lineup:
Perri; Maitland-Niles, Niakhate, Caleta-Car, Tagliafico; Tolisso, Matic, Cherki; Fofana, Nuamah, Lacazette
We say: Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Lyon
With two lengthy unbeaten spells on the line this weekend, we are expecting a hard-fought affair between pacesetters PSG and Lyon in the French capital.
Les Parisiens found their scoring boots at Salzburg on Tuesday, and with an extra two days of rest under their belts, the hosts should have enough in the tank for victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
