Familiar foes are set to trade tackles at the Parc des Princes as Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco go head-to-head in a mouth-watering Ligue 1 showdown.
Based on PSG’s opening three games in Ligue 1, Christoph Galtier’s side should be on course for a ninth league title in 11 seasons and become France’s most successful club.
Les Parisiens, who are currently tied with relegated Saint-Etienne on ten Ligue 1 crowns a piece, set the tone for another triumphant campaign in the top flight by winning their inaugural three matches by a combined score of 17-3.
Amid talk of a meltdown between standouts Neymar and Kylian Mbappe hitting Ligue 1 headlines, PSG completely outclassed former champions Lille 7-1 last weekend to quell such speculation.
Given Paris’ torrid start to the new domestic season, including a 4-0 demolition of Nantes in the French Super Cup at the end of July, Monaco’s bid to overcome an early crisis looks far-fetched even before kick-off.
Manager Philippe Clement faces an uncertain future in the French principality after his side crashed out of Champions League qualification to PSV Eindhoven and won just one of their three Ligue 1 games (D1, L1).
So Monaco are in no mood to go toe-to-toe with high-flying PSG, let alone help them pull off an upset at the Parc des Princes.
Match Preview
Paris Saint-Germain
Bidding to stretch their formidable unbeaten Ligue 1 streak at home to 24 matches (W20, D3), PSG could do it in style if they can maintain a standout run of scoring 4+ goals in their last five league outings.
Their jaw-dropping tally of 17 goals scored in the opening three Ligue 1 rounds is the second-highest total at this stage in the competition’s history, with often-criticised Neymar enjoying a form of his life.
PSG’s most expensive signing of all time has already netted five goals and provided six assists, showing everyone he can lead this side to the promised heights.
Monaco
Unlike PSG, it’s been a stuttering start to the new Ligue 1 season for Monaco. After eking out a 2-1 win at Strasbourg on the opening weekend, they’ve gone on to draw and lose their subsequent two league games.
Last weekend’s humiliating 4-1 home defeat to Lens has mounted more pressure on Clement, who will be desperate to improve Monaco’s dismal run of one win from their five most recent league visits to Paris (D1, L3).
But while on paper, all seems lost for Les Monégasques, they’ve actually enjoyed a fair amount of success against PSG, picking up three wins in their last four top-flight H2Hs (L1).
Paris Saint-Germain vs Monaco Potential Line-ups
Paris Saint-Germain (3-4-3): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe, Sergio Ramos; Nuno Mendes, Achraf Hakimi, Renato Sanches, Marco Verratti; Neymar, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe.
Monaco (4-4-2): Alexander Nubel; Caio Henrique, Guillermo Maripan, Axel Disasi, Ruben Aguilar; Eliot Matazo, Youssouf Fofana, Krepin Diatta, Aleksandr Golovin; Breel Embolo, Wissam Ben Yedder
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