Paris Saint-Germain were looking to progress to the semi-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue with victory over Bordeaux away from home on Tuesday.
Laurent Blanc's side took some time to get going, but eventually won their quarter-final tie at Stade Jacques Chaban-Delmas 3-1, thanks to goals from Javier Pastore, Adrien Rabiot and Blaise Matuidi.
Read how it all unfolded in our minute-by minute live commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole’s live coverage of the Coupe de la Ligue quarter-final between Bordeaux and Paris Saint-Germain. It promises to be a very competitive match and you can follow all the action live as it unfolds on this page.
This is one-off match, which means that there will be no second legs or replays. The tie will be settled tonight even if it takes a penalty shootout to separate the teams.
PSG will be hoping that they can wrap up the match before that and in normal time, of course. The Ligue 1 champions will be favourites to win tonight’s quarter-final match and maintain their challenge for a domestic treble.
However, PSG needed extra time to get to this round of the Coupe de la Ligue as Edinson Cavani scored in the 118th minute against Saint-Etienne in their last-16 clash last month.
Bordeaux will be no easy pushovers tonight either. Francis Gillot's side are currently eighth in Ligue 1 and are in the running for a European place. The hosts will also want to maintain their cup run and a victory over one of Europe’s strongest teams will indeed be a huge coup for them.
The teamsheet has been released now and has Blanc rotated his team as he said he would before the match? Let’s find out...
BORDEAUX XI: Carrasso; Henrique, Faubert, Orban; Sane, N’Guemo, Poko, Traore; Rolan, Hoarau, Maurice-Belay
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN XI: Sirigu; Silva, Marquinhos, Camara, Digne; Verratti, Rabiot, Lucas; Menez, Ibrahimovic, Pastore
So some of the big guns do start for PSG, although Blanc will claim that he has ‘rotated’ his team. Zlatan Ibrahimovic continues to attack and will be supported by Jeremy Menez and Javier Pastore. In defence Thiago Silva will have his compatriot Marquinhos, while the midfield will be marshalled by the young trio of Marco Verratti, Adrien Rabiot and Lucas Moura.
Meanwhile, for the hosts Lucas Orban returns in defence and replaces Maxime Poundje. New signing and former PSG player Guillaume Hoarau is also given the start, although he was initially expected to be on the bench for Bordeaux.
The signs are all there for this Coupe de la Ligue quarter-final tie to be a very closely-fought and tight encounter. PSG’s midfield and attack are changed, but the players all have loads of talent, while Blanc can call upon Ezequiel Lavezzi, Edinson Cavani and Blaise Matuidi if he needs to – the trio are on the substitutes’ bench. However, Bordeaux will provide them with a very stern test tonight.
Kickoff is just over five minutes away at the Stade Jacques Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux and the excitement is building. It is always exciting when PSG come to town anyway!
The players are getting ready to come out onto the pitch now. PSG have not reached the semi-finals of a knockout competition since 2010-11 and tonight is a great chance for them to do so.
The pre-match formalities are out of the way now and the game will kick off in a moment.
KICKOFF The game is now underway, this the Coupe de la Ligue quarter-final tie between Bordeaux and PSG.
It has been a slow-ish start to the match with the home crowd booing every time the PSG players have the ball at their feet. The only notable point so far is that Marquinhos has started at right-back this evening and tries a shot that goes wide; he is a centre-back by trade and his attempt was not really going to trouble Cedric Carrasso anyway.
PSG were making the early running, but now the hosts have started to press and are actually passing the ball around quite decently in their visitors’ half of the pitch.
PSG have regained possession now and are pressing high up the pitch. Menez has seen the ball a number of times so far tonight and he will be looking to making an impression in this match. Adrien Rabiot has also looked very lively and enthusiastic in the opening exchanges.
Not exactly a chance or even a half-chance, perhaps just an attempt to create a chance – whatever it is, it is PSG who craft it. Menez receives the ball on the left edge of the Bordeaux penalty box and tried to slip in a pass for Lucas Digne, but Carlos Henrique goes a good job of averting the danger.
There is really not much life in this contest yet as PSG are looking disjointed in attack and are failing to get behind the Bordeaux defence. It is fair to say that this tie is taking its sweet time to kick into top gear.
Maybe a set piece will change things. Lucas Moura earns a corner. Can PSG get a score from this?
No, they cannot. The corner is floated in and Marquinhos heads it towards goal, but Menez is adjudged to have handled the ball and the hosts get a goal kick.
Bordeaux launch an attack down the left flank and it is they who earn a corner. PSG need to regroup at the back and stave off this danger.
Which they eventually do and with comfort as well. Still 0-0 between Bordeaux and PSG in this Coupe de la Ligue quarter-final tie that is moving at a snail’s pace.
Twenty minutes gone and there has not been a single shot on target in the match. Salvatore Sirigu makes his first touch of the ball now as he punches away an incoming Bordeaux free kick from near the left touchline.
A rare mistake from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who fails to control a pass and allows it to go out for a Bordeaux throw-in. That’s just about the only talking point in the match in the last couple of minutes. The hosts are happy to just sit back and pass the ball around without really trying to make forays into the PSG citadel, while the Parisian outfit are struggling to string passes together.
Another piece of good defending from Henrique down the right side of the Bordeaux penalty box as once again he keeps Menez at bay and prevents him from getting on the end of a good pass.
Have I mentioned Javier Pastore so far in my commentary? Probably not and that’s because he is largely anonymous. He has taken a touch here and a touch there, but he looks like a ghost player at the moment.
Another corner to Bordeaux, which they fail to capitalise on. The home side have earned a few corners already in this match and perhaps that is how they are going to score.
Half an hour gone in the contest and it remains goalless between Bordeaux and PSG. There has not been a single shot on target yet – it’s THAT dire.
Landry N'Guemo goes for a shot 25 yards away from the PSG goal and why not? Nevermind that it is nowhere on target, but at least someone wants to score!
Good defending from both sides as first Thiago Silva makes a great challenge on the edge of the PSG box and then Ludovic Sane stops Ibrahimovic just inside the Bordeaux box.
Ibrahimovic is flagged offside just as he collects a long ball from over the top inside the home side’s penalty box. The Swedish striker is the only PSG attacker who looks like a danger to this Bordeaux side, who are appearing very compact and alert at the back.
Now Lucas tries to bring some Brazilian flair to the game as he attempts to create danger on the right side of the box, but he is dispossessed amid calls for a penalty.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Zlatan Ibrahimovic smashes a first-time volley into the back of the Bordeaux net from just inside the box, but his effort is flagged offside. Javier Pastore clips in a very deft ball that the Swede takes on the turn, but he is penalised for being in an offside position.
Three minutes remain in the first half. Will we see a goal before the interval?
OFF THE POST! Ibra goes so so close again as he clips the post with a low free kick from 25 yards that Carrasso could not get a hand to despite stretching to his far right.
GOAL! Bordeaux 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain (Javier Pastore)
PSG’s late pressure eventually pays off as Pastore makes it 1-0 right on the stroke of half time. It is Lucas who creates the goal as he keeps the ball on the right side of the Bordeaux box under pressure and then puts a cross in that the Argentine slams home.
HALF TIME: Bordeaux 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain
It’s half time at Stade Jacques Chaban-Delmas where Paris Saint-Germain are leading their hosts Bordeaux 1-0 in the Coupe de la Ligue quarter-final. Javier Pastore’s goal in injury time is what separates the two teams at the moment.
PSG were largely dire and erratic in their passing, especially in the final third, in the early stages of the contest, but stepped up their game after the half-hour mark. First Ibrahimovic had a goal rightly disallowed and then he clipped the outside of the post with a free kick.
Ibra was involved in the goal as well as it was his pass that released Lucas on the right from where he picked out Pastore to slam home from close range.
On the balance of play, I have to say that PSG deserve to be in the lead. They have made (or at least have tried to make) more attacking forays, especially in the final 10 minutes, and have also shown that extra bit of intensity. Bordeaux really need to pick up momentum and step up their game in the second half. They looked compact at the back until PSG increased the pressure and did not do much to trouble Sirigu at the other end.
The second half will start shortly. The players are getting ready to come out of the tunnel for the second 45 minutes of this quarter-final tie that PSG lead 1-0.
The two sets of players are now out on the pitch and play will resume shortly. Edinson Cavani is getting ready to come on. I wonder who he will replace for PSG.
SUBSTITUTION Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been taken off and he has been replaced by Cavani.
KICKOFF PSG kick off proceedings in the second half. They lead 1-0 from the first period.
GOAL! Bordeaux 1-1 Paris Saint-Germain (Andre Biyogo Poko)
Astonishing start to the second half as Andre Biyogo Poko equalises for Bordeaux in brilliant fashion. Adrien Rabiot loses the ball in a dangerous position to Poko, who then rushes towards the PSG goal and chips the ball over an advancing Sirigu and into the net.
PSG have a chance to go 2-1 up rightaway with a free kick, but Cavani cannot get his curling effort past the Bordeaux wall.
What a start to the second half we have had. PSG have been stunned by that equaliser and Rabiot will not be pleased with his contribution in that goal. I think that it was probably Bordeaux’s first shot on target all evening!
PSG are pressing forward now and earn a corner through Lucas down the right flank. They take it short and hog the ball for a while before losing it.
CHANCE! Pastore goes close after latching onto a pass from the left as his effort from outside the box goes over the Bordeaux crossbar.
Bordeaux appear to have gained confidence from that goal and are looking to play further high up the pitch. This is in sharp contrast to their first-half strategy when they were happy to just sit back and soak the pressure
Lucas Orban and Diego Rolan combine on the left flank, but the latter eventually fails to make the most of it. Having said that, it must be noted that Bordeaux are genuinely sensing a winner here.
YELLOW CARD Abdou Traore becomes the first player to be booked this evening for a rather rash challenge on Lucas Digne.
The hosts continue to press on and force the issue, this time Julien Faubert floating in a cross from the right wing.
OFF THE POST! Bordeaux keep it at 1-1, but only just! Carrasso makes a double save and how! Menez takes a ferocious shot on goal that the Bordeaux goalkeeper parries away, but it falls to Digne, who then shoots on goal. However, Carrasso keeps that out as well, as he pushes it onto the post and then collects the ball just as Menez is about to pounce on it.
Brilliant play from Cavani as he controls the ball sensationally with his right foot and then forces a corner. However, Bordeaux are able to fend off the set piece.
YELLOW CARD Marco Verratti is shown the yellow card for tugging at Rolan’s shirt.
CHANCE! Hoarau sets up Poko after getting the better of Rabiot in the air to shoot on goal, but his effort goes narrowly wide of Sirigu’s goal.
The game has really opened up now as both sides are going on the attack. Bordeaux have looked rejuvenated since scoring the equaliser and the likes of Pastore and Menez are beginning to express themselves for the visitors.
Just over 15 minutes remain in this quarter-final contest. Remember there will no replays or second legs if it ends in a draw after 90 minutes – the tie will head into extra time and, if need, penalties.
SUBSTITUTION Bordeaux make their first change of the evening. Guillaume Hoarau is replaced by Henri Saivet.
CHANCE! Sirigu almost makes a mess of the left-wing cross from Maurice-Belay at his near post, just about clearing it off the line but straight onto Rolan. However, the Bordeaux player cannot react quickly enough and the ball is hacked clear by Zoumana Camara.
SUBSTITUTION Blaise Matuidi comes on for PSG in place of Marco Verratti, while Ezequiel Lavezzi replaces Jeremy Menez. Fresh legs for the visitors for the final minutes of normal time.
YELLOW CARD Poko goes into the referee’s books for a bad challenge on Pastore.
CHANCE! Maurice-Belay and Rolan combine again, this time outside the PSG box from where the latter takes a shot that Sirigu saves.
GOAL! Bordeaux 1-2 Paris Saint-Germain (Adrien Rabiot)
Adrien Rabiot makes amends for his earlier error and scores the second goal for PSG to set them on course for a semi-final appearance in the competition! It is Pastore who collects the ball outside the Bordeaux box and then sends Rabiot through on goal for an easy finish from close range.
GOAL! Bordeaux 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain (Blaise Matuidi)
PSG are surely on their way to the semi-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue as Blaise Matuidi makes it 3-1 with two minutes remaining in the match. Pastore is involved again as it is his pass that Edinson Cavani directs towards Matuidi to slam home from close range.
Four minutes of injury time have been added, as PSG are just minutes away from booking their place in the last four of the competition.
SUBSTITUTION A couple of substitutions to inform you about that happened after Matuidi’s goal. Ludovic Obraniak and Gregory Sertic came on for Abdou Traore and Landry N'Guemo respectively. Meanwhile, two minutes left in this match that PSG are leading 3-1.
FULL TIME: Bordeaux 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain
It’s all over at Stade Jacques Chaban-Delmas where Paris Saint-Germain have defeated Bordeaux 3-1 to progress to the semi-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue. The visitors were 1-0 up at half time, but Andre Biyogo Poko equalised on 48 minutes. However, with the quarter-final tie seemingly heading towards extra time, Adrien Rabiot scored in the 86th minute for PSG and two minutes later second-half substitute Blaise Matuidi found the target.
This was hardly a vintage PSG performance and coach Laurent Blanc will not be pleased with their display, but the defending Ligue 1 champions’ strength in depth was fully visible tonight. Javier Pastore scored the opening goal and played his part in the other two, while Thiago Silva and Lucas Digne had good games as well.
Thank you very much for joining me this evening and hope that you enjoyed our live commentary. Have a good night, it’s goodbye from me for now.