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NederlandHaving been knocked off their perch by new leaders Lille last time out, Paris Saint-Germain will aspire to keep the pressure on their title rivals when they travel to Strasbourg for Saturday's Ligue 1 battle.
The hosts beat Bordeaux in a thriller by three goals to two last time out, while PSG's defeat to Lille preceded a memorable Champions League win over Bayern Munich.
Match preview
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After storming into a 3-0 lead against Bordeaux courtesy of goals from Lamine Kone, Habib Diallo and Ludovic Ajorque, Strasbourg were expected to see out a resounding win at the Matmut Atlantique, but shades of West Ham United's capitulation against Arsenal appeared as Les Girondins struck through Paul Baysse and Hwang Ui-jo before half time.
Despite a nervy second 45 minutes, Thierry Laurey's side ultimately held on for the win which saw them recover from back-to-back defeats to Rennes and Lens, and their Ligue 1 status should be confirmed in the coming weeks if they continue to produce performances of that manner.
Les Coureurs leapfrogged Bordeaux in the table with that triumph and now occupy 13th spot in the rankings - seven clear of the bottom three - and an unlikely charge for a top-half finish would constitute a successful season for Strasbourg after their miserable start to proceedings.
However, Laurey's side are welcoming PSG to a ground where they have won just one of their last six fixtures in all competitions, although that was a memorable 1-0 triumph against Monaco, and they have also failed to find the back of the net in three of those outings.
Nevertheless, a goal-laden first half against Bordeaux should have Strasbourg feeling capable of taking more points off of a title-chasing side, especially one who are hit with injuries, suspensions and fatigue following their gruelling but triumphant venture in Munich.
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Whether PSG are playing at the Parc des Princes, Camp Nou or the Allianz Arena, one thing is for certain. Kylian Mbappe will always find a way to steal the show.
The 22-year-old struck his seventh and eighth Champions League goals of the season as PSG prevailed 3-2 in the first leg of their quarter-final clash with reigning champions Bayern Munich, during which Marquinhos also scored a vital away goal before being forced off through injury.
While their European prospects are looking promising, Mauricio Pochettino's side are at risk of losing their iron grip on the Ligue 1 crown after Jonathan David's goal propelled Lille to a 1-0 triumph in last weekend's top-of-the-table clash, with PSG now three points off the pace before Lille face Metz on Friday.
That result saw Les Parisiens lose three Ligue 1 home matches in a row for the first time since 2007, but on the road is where PSG excel, as they have won their last eight matches away from home across all competitions, including their last four in the top flight.
A late flurry of goals helped PSG claim a 4-0 win over Strasbourg earlier in the season, although Les Coureurs have lost just one of their last six Ligue 1 home matches against the champions, who are at risk of losing a fourth game in a row after a Champions League battle.
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Team News
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Strasbourg have finally welcomed first-choice goalkeeper Matz Sels back in between the sticks after a long period on the sidelines, but Lebo Mothiba continues to recuperate from his own serious knee problem.
The hosts would ideally have both Alexander Djiku and Mohamed Simakan marshalling the rearguard against the champions, but both players remain in the treatment room and are unlikely to return in time for this battle.
Laurey may decide to revert to a back five against PSG's rampageous attackers, meaning that Lionel Carole could return in defence as Dimitri Lienard is sacrificed in midfield.
Neymar has been handed a two-game ban following his sending-off against Lille, meaning that Moise Kean should return to the fold after being introduced as a substitute against Bayern.
The extent of Marquinhos's injury is currently unclear, but the centre-back will certainly not be available here, and Pochettino must also work around the absences of COVID-positive duo Marco Verratti and Alessandro Florenzi, as well as the injured Layvin Kurzawa and Mauro Icardi.
The visitors should certainly shuffle the pack with the second leg against Bayern in mind, with Leandro Paredes returning from suspension and Pablo Sarabia, Rafinha and Ander Herrera all pushing for starts.
Makeshift left-back Abdou Diallo has also been ruled out of this tie due to sickness, so Mitchel Bakker should earn a rare start in defence.
Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Sels; Guilbert, Mitrovic, Kone, Carole, Caci; Sissoko, Aholou, Thomasson; Ajorque, Diallo
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Navas; Kehrer, Kimpembe, Pembele, Bakker; Paredes, Herrera; Sarabia, Rafinha, Kean; Mbappe
We say: Strasbourg 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain
Strasbourg could potentially spring a surprise given PSG's mounting injury problems and Champions League ventures, but the champions could slip further down the table in Ligue 1 should they fail to come up trumps here. Pochettino's side are certainly not expected to replicate their Allianz Arena performance this weekend, but their away record is nothing short of astonishing, so PSG should do enough to scrape a narrow but crucial win.
