Ligue 1 Champions and league leaders PSG will be looking to extend their unbeaten streak in the French League to nine matches when they host 8th-placed Nice at the Parc des Princes on Saturday at 20:00 GMT.
Nice will be looking to regain some consistency in their performances when they face the Champions on Saturday, whereas PSG will be warming up for their mid-week Champions League clash away to Benfica.
Match Preview
Can PSG Continue on their Good Form in Ligue 1?
The Champions have made a sterling start to the season, winning even out of the opening eight fixtures on the calendar and dropping just two points so far.
Christophe Galtier will be looking to continue this good vein of form when his men clash with Nice on Saturday in front of home fans.
Galtier’s focus will be on ensuring that his superstars maintain professionalism, energy, and intensity, especially after the international break where players were spread out across the world playing for their national teams.
A high-energy and high-intensity performance will be crucial for Galtier’s side to take all three points and extend their unbeaten run.
Can Nice Cause an Upset against the Champions?
Nice have been in poor form, winning just twice out of the opening eight outings in Ligue 1. They currently sit 13th on the table with eight points collected so far.
Lucien Favre will be hoping to get some consistency back to his side after the international break as the league matches come thick and fast before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar.
Against PSG, Favre will be hopping for a disciplined, sturdy, but high-intensity and high-tempo performance designed to disrupt PSG’s rhythm and pose an attacking threat on their defense.
Form Guide
PSG
PSG have won four and drawn once in their last five Ligue 1 outings; they have collected 13 points and dropped just two in the process.
The four wins have come away to Toulouse (0-3), away to Nantes (0-3), at home to Brest (1-0), and away to Lyon (0-1). Galtier’s side have also kept four clean sheets in this winning run.
The draw in this run came in the match against Monaco at home, which ended in a 1-1 stalemate at the Parc des Princes.
Galtier will be hoping to continue with their sturdy defense and devastating attack when they face Nice on Saturday.
Nice
Lucien Favre’s men have won just twice in their last five outings in Ligue 1; they have lost three times in this run. This means that they have taken six and dropped nine out of the available 15 points in the league.
The two wins came away to LOSC (1-2) and away to Ajaccio. The three losses in this run came in matches against Marseille at home (0-3), Monaco at home (0-1), and Angers at home (0-1).
Favre will be focused on his defensive shape ahead of the journey to the capital to face PSG; this is especially crucial because Nice have kept a single clean sheet in their last five outings.
Possible Starting Lineups
PSG
Donnarumma; D. Pereira, Marquinhos, S. Ramos; N. Mendes, M. Verratti, F. Ruiz, A. Hakimi; Neymar, L. Messi; K. Mbappe
Nice
Bulka; J. Lotomba, J. Todibo, Dante, M. Bard; N. Pepe, M. Lemina, K. Thuram, S. Diop; G. Labonde, A. Delort
Players to Watch
Neymar
The 30-year-old Brazilian international has had a storming start to his goal-scoring season this season; he has notched eight goals in eight appearances in Ligue 1, one goal in two matches in the Champions League, and two goals in the Trophee des Champions.
Neymar is an integral part of Galtier’s side, and he will be central to their bid to beat Nice and extend their unbeaten run.
A. Delort
The 30-year-old Algerian striker has been essential to Nice’s good form this season. He has scored three times in eight matches for Nice this season.
Delort will be crucial for Nice as they try to overcome the in-form team of the league on Saturday.
PSG vs Nice Prediction
PSG will dominate the ball and territory in this match. They will press from the front and close off all passing channels; this will make it difficult for Nice to progress the ball.
Nice will be compact and reactive to PSG; they will look to use rapid passing and pace in their forward thrusts to pose an attacking threat to the home side.
PSG will have too much for Nice, and they will win the match.