Montpellier-PSG is a Ligue 1 Week 21 match and is played on Wednesday at 21:00: stats, line-ups, predictions
What’s happening at Psg? Many in France are wondering after the reigning champions have barely picked up a point in the last two Ligue 1 matches. Defeat at home to Rennes (1-0) and a home draw with Reims (1-1). Two missteps that allowed the pursuers to get their dreams back on track, although Lens and Marseille both failed to take advantage at the weekend, both drawing.
Christophe Galtier’s battleship remains the big favourite for the title and of that there is no doubt. But whereas before the World Cup the gap to second place allowed them to sleep soundly, this is no longer the case. Lens, who had prevailed in the direct clash on 1 January, inflicting the first defeat on the Parisians, is now only -3, while rivals Marseille are further back (-5) but not completely out of the game. A big problem for the former coach of Lille and Nice, who was counting on closing the games in advance to concentrate on the complicated Champions League round of 16 against Bayern Munich, which will inevitably take a lot of energy between February and March. The pace must therefore be quickened, preventing the competitors from making up further ground. The trip to Montpellier, a team that has appeared in difficulty in recent outings, is the right occasion to return to winning ways and banish the ghosts of two years ago.
Psg will go to Occitania without Verratti, who was sent off against Reims, and will also be without the injured Mukiele and Kimpembe. Neymar, who was excluded from the squad at the last minute due to a muscular problem, is in a worrying condition.
Lecomte
On the other side of the pitch, the Capitoline side will find an opponent who, after three consecutive defeats – including a heavy 6-1 defeat at home to Nice – raised their heads again last Sunday by winning the important direct clash with Auxerre (0-2) and moving up to +5 on the relegation zone. One of those matches that can turn the season around.
The prediction
The precedents make Galtier smile, as Psg have always won in their last visits to Montpellier, also scoring a good number of goals. It is therefore likely that Mbappé and his team-mates will return to win and convince in a match with at least three goals in total.
The Montpellier v PSG matchday squad
- MONTPELLIER (4-2-3-1): Lecomte; Tchato, Jullien, Estève, Maouassa; Leroy, Chotard; Nordin, Savanier, Mavididi; Germain.
- PSG (4-3-1-2): Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Sergio Ramos, Bernat; Danilo, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Messi; Ekitiké, Mbappé.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-3
