Paris Saint-Germain will be aiming to bounce back from their Champions League heartbreak on Sunday when they continue their Ligue 1 campaign against Bordeaux at Parc des Princes.
Les Parisians were defeated 3-1 by Real Madrid in the second leg of their last-16 tie at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday evening, which saw them exit the coveted competitions thanks to a 3-2 aggregate loss.
Mauricio Pochettino is under immense pressure after PSG’s exit from Europe and he will expect a strong response from his boys against Bordeaux at the weekend.
Paris Saint-Germain Team News
Sergio Ramos’ time at PSG has been plagued by a calf problem, but the experienced Spanish defender has a slight chance of being in the squad on Sunday. The same goes with Ander Herrera, who has recently been unavailable for selection due to conjunctivitis.
Meanwhile, Marco Verratti will be unavailable for the game against Bordeaux through suspension for his comments after PSG’s 3-1 loss to Nantes.
Predicted PSG Lineup vs Bordeaux (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper
Keylor Navas was between the sticks in PSG’s last league game, which turned out to be a 1-0 defeat to OGC Nice. Nonetheless, the experienced Costa Rican is set to get the nod again ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal with the rotation set to continue.
Defence
A back four comprising of Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Presnel Kimpembe and Juan Bernat should start at the back in the PSG lineup.
Bernat could come in for Nuno Mendes at left-back, while Marquinhos will look to redeem himself after his error gifted Karim Benzema the winning goal for Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Midfield
Idrissa Gueye came on as a second-half substitute against Real Madrid in midweek but could be handed a start in the PSG lineup on Sunday. The Senegalese will slot in as a defensive midfielder and add an extra layer of protection to the PSG backline.
The other two midfield spots could be filled by Danilo and Georginio Wijnaldum, who will look to help assert Les Parisians’ dominance in the proceedings against Bordeaux.
Attack
The in-form Kylian Mbappe will once again spearhead the PSG lineup. The Frenchman has been the club’s best player this season and will look to continue his hot goal-scoring form. He will be flanked by Lionel Messi and Neymar, with the South American duo tasked to provide creativity and guile to the attack.
Angel di Maria, Julian Draxler and Mauro Icardi should occupy their places on the bench and will hope to get minutes after the interval.