Ligue 1 returns on Friday following the international break, with perennial champions Paris Saint-Germain entertaining Nice at the Parc des Princes.
Key Takeaways
- Paris Saint-Germain remain unbeaten after four league games (W2, D2)
- Nice have also avoided defeat this season (W1, D3)
- The visitors boast the best defensive record in Ligue 1
PSG and Nice will put their unbeaten records on the line when they lock horns in the French capital on Friday. The two sides have played a combined total of eight matches this term, conceding just five goals between them.
Paris Saint-Germain Form
By their own high standards, Paris Saint-Germain endured a below-par start to the season, recording successive draws against Lorient and Toulouse. Since then, however, Les Parisiens have notched a couple of high-scoring victories.
Following a 3-1 win over Lens, PSG thrashed Lyon 4-1 last time out, with star forward Kylian Mbappe bagging back-to-back braces. Normal service has been resumed in Paris, but Luis Enrique will be eager to avert any complacency.
Nice Form
Meanwhile, Nice kicked off their campaign with three consecutive draws, playing out 1-1 stalemates with Lille and Lorient before recording a goalless draw against Lyon.
Les Aiglons picked up their first win of the season prior to the international break, claiming a 2-0 victory over Strasbourg. Not only did Francesco Farioli’s men enjoy the lion’s share of possession, but they also racked up 16 shots, preventing Strasbourg from registering a solitary attempt on target.
Head-to-Head
Unfortunately for Nice, they have managed to win just one of their last 11 league meetings with Paris Saint-Germain, suffering eight defeats since 2017.
When you look at the bigger picture, Les Aiglons have only claimed two victories across their previous 20 Ligue 1 matches against PSG, enduring 15 losses in that time.
Team News
PSG’s lengthy injury list contains Presnel Kimpembe, Lee Kang-in, Alexandre Letellier, Nuno Mendes, Nordi Mukiele and Sergio Rico, while Kylian Mbappe is a doubt due to a knee issue.
As for Nice, they are still without injury absentees Alexis Claude-Maurice and Antoine Mendy, who have not featured for the club this season.
Key Players
Widely regarded as the best forward in world football, Mbappe is the jewel in PSG’s crown. That said, Les Parisiens’ squad is littered with top-class performers, including Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi and Marquinhos.
On the flip side, Nice can call upon highly-rated midfielder Khephren Thuram, Aston Villa loanee Morgan Sanson and Nigerian striker Terem Moffi, who scored 18 Ligue 1 goals for Lorient last term before moving to Allianz Riviera.
Final Thoughts
Paris Saint-Germain head into every home league game as favourites, but they won’t have it all their own way on Friday. Given that Nice are aiming to extend their unbeaten run and maintain the best defensive record in the division, Friday’s clash looks set to be a close-fought battle.
Ligue 1
UEFA Champions League