Paris Saint-Germain will look to make it four Ligue 1 wins on the bounce when they host Rennes at the Parc des Princes on Friday evening.
Les Parisians extended their lead at the top of the table to 14 points with a 5-1 thrashing of LOSC Lille last weekend. Mauricio Pochettino wanted a strong response after his side’s shock elimination from the French Cup at the hands of OGC Nice and got it against Lille.
Despite an unassailable lead, PSG are expected to go all guns blazing against Rennes and claim a victory at home.
Paris Saint-Germain Team News
PSG will be without Neymar (ankle) and Sergio Ramos (calf) once again when they face Rennes. Georginio Wijnaldum is recovering from an ankle problem and will join the training group this week provided he gets clearance from the medical department.
Mauro Icardi missed the 5-1 win over Lille with a foot problem and remains doubtful for the upcoming Ligue 1 clash. Edouard Michut and Alexandre Letellier tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week and are isolating.
Meanwhile, Abdou Diallo and Idrissa Gueye could come into contention after tasting success with Senegal at the African Cup of Nations.
Predicted PSG Lineup vs Rennes (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper
Gianluigi Donnarumma is certain to feature between the sticks for Les Parisians and he will be raring to keep a clean sheet this time around.
Defence
Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe are pretty much nailed on to start as the centre-backs in the PSG lineup. There is no looking past Achraf Hakimi at right-back due to his combination of attacking prowess and defensive diligence. Meanwhile, Nuno Mendes is set to continue at left-back.
Midfield
Leandro Paredes will once again be tasked with doing the dirty work in the middle of the park in the PSG lineup. Danilo Pereira bagged a brace against Lille and he will be given the freedom to enter the opposition’s box a lot more on Friday evening.
Completing PSG’s midfield trio will be Marco Verratti, who will provide the creative essence and make life difficult for the visitors. Pochettino will want his three midfielders to get hold of the game from the onset.
Attack
The front three will be led by Lionel Messi, who put in a dazzling performance in PSG’s big win over Lille. The Argentinean magician seems to be finding his mojo back just at the right time for Les Parisians, which could be bad news for Rennes.
Messi will be backed up by Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria on the flanks in the PSG lineup, with the star-studded attack looking to cause mayhem against Bruno Genesio’s side.
