Paris Saint-Germain will look to put an underwhelming start to the season behind them when they welcome Strasbourg to the Parc des Princes on Saturday.

In one of PSG's worst starts to a season under the Qatari ownership, they return after the international break in third place in the Ligue 1 standings.

Match preview

Luis Enrique went some way to redeem himself to the PSG faithful when he led his side to a 3-1 win away at Rennes shortly before the international break.

The Spanish manager is already on thin ice, especially after their humiliating 4-1 thrashing at Newcastle United in the Champions League at the start of the month.

That result, along with some other very disappointing performances, means Enrique still has a fair bit to do to turn the tide, and they must ensure league form picks up especially.

PSG looked lethargic and off it in draws with Lorient, Toulouse and Clermont, before they were outplayed by Nice on home soil in a 3-2 defeat.

The champions have looked their strongest when playing other big clubs, given they beat Borussia Dortmund comfortably in Europe, and have thrashed Lens, Lyon and Marseille already this season.

A good showing in that win over Rennes last time out should give the side plenty of confidence to go on a run now which can see them eat up the ground which they lost after a poor start.

Ahead of the visit of AC Milan to the French capital in midweek, a win and a convincing performance are required from the Parisiens here.

Facing Strasbourg could well be a stroke of good fortune just when Enrique needed it too, as the Alsace club have never beaten PSG away from home in 36 attempts dating back to 1975 - losing 28.

Patrick Vieira is the current manager looking to end the barren run, and they have made a respectable start to the campaign.

Sitting 11th, just two points off the European place is a more welcome sight than the one they suffered through for much of last season, when the club were in the relegation zone in March.

Strasbourg only survived thanks to a superb run going into April and finished two places above the expanded relegation zone in Ligue 1.

It appeared as though they may enjoy another European push like they did in 2021-22 after winning three of their first six games, but back-to-back defeats have stopped them in their tracks.

The fact those defeats came against Lens and Nantes - two sides who have made poor starts - made it that extra bit disappointing for Vieira too.

Strasbourg's fixture list only gets harder from this point too, as trips to PSG and Rennes come in their next two, as well as a visit to high-flying Brest and a home clash with Marseille before the end of November.

That run of games will test Strasbourg's credentials of being potential European candidates to the limit.

Team News

Enrique may not have been too pleased to see star man Kylian Mbappe start in France's friendly with Scotland on Tuesday, but the forward came out unscathed.

Mbappe's seven goals has him top of the Ligue 1 scoring charts on his own currently, and a sensational brace for Les Bleus over the Netherlands last week booked France's ticket to Germany next summer.

Frustratingly, Enrique will be without quartet Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Layvin Kurzawa and Randal Kolo Muani after they were all handed one-game suspensions following offensive chanting aimed at Marseille fans after PSG's 4-0 win last month.

The absences of Dembele and Kurzawa in particular will be concerning, given that Nuno Mendes and Marco Asensio are both out injured.

Strasbourg will be without Emanuel Emegha due to a muscle strain and Polish full-back Karol Fila, who is recovering from an ACL injury.

Vieira gave some fringe players a chance in their friendly with Karlsruhe over the international break, but after losing 3-0, it is unlikely any will be given an opportunity in Paris.

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Mukiele, Skriniar, Marquinhos, Hernandez; Zaire-Emery, Ugarte, Vitinha; Barcola, Goncalo Ramos, Mbappe

Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Sels; Guilbert, Nyamsi, Perrin, Delaine; Senaya, Doukoure, Mwanga; Angelo Gabriel, Gameiro, Mothiba

We say: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Strasbourg

PSG have often struggled against weaker sides in Ligue 1 so far this season, but their dominant history over Strasbourg should continue here.

Two defeats before the break may have dented confidence slightly for Vieira's men, and this remains the most daunting fixture in French football so a defeat is on the cards for the visitors.


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