Lillevs.PSG

Both clubs have taken maximum points from their opening two matches but this represents a big challenge for the two in their respective aims this season.

Match preview

After leaving it late to beat Le Havre on the opening night, with three late goals to win 4-1, PSG showed their class in ruthlessly dispatching Montpellier in the capital last week.

Luis Enrique's side put six past their beleaguered opponents in a performance which could easily have seen Les Parisiens net double figures.

Sitting top of Ligue 1 with a 100% record and a plus-nine goal difference suggest the transition to life after Kylian Mbappe is going smoothly, on the domestic front at least.

Now comes the first real test, as Lille are one of the sides who could mount a challenge near the top of the table this season, and another win on the road for PSG would put down a real marker.

The club were unbeaten on the road last season, and are now 25 Ligue 1 away games without defeat, dating back to February 2023, winning 20 games across that run.

Minimum requirement is domestic success for Enrique though, as competing on the continent is where the Spaniard will truly be judged.

However, PSG's draw for the new-look Champions League is certainly a challenging one, as the French champions have been handed the second-hardest set of fixtures according to the UEFA coefficient, with Manchester City and Atletico Madrid set to visit the Parc des Princes, and trips to Bayern Munich and Arsenal also to come.

Lille were also in Thursday's draw, after they somehow edged past Slavia Prague by the skin of their teeth on Wednesday night.

The Czech side squandered numerous chances throughout the evening, as Edon Zhegrova's strike proved crucial with Lille progressing 3-2 on aggregate, despite losing 2-1 in Prague.

Les Dogues have also been handed one of the most difficult draws, as they will welcome Real Madrid and Juventus to the Pierre-Mauroy, make trips to Liverpool and Atletico, and face Sporting Lisbon and Bologna away from the lower pots.

Focus has been all on making sure they qualified for the league phase, as Lille had to go through two rounds of qualifiers against tough opposition in the form of Fenerbahce and Slavia, but now they can return to solely looking ahead to domestic matters for a few weeks at least.

Even though manager Bruno Genesio has been switching his side up in the league, they have still managed to win both games without conceding so far, joining Monaco and Lens as the only other clubs to do so after two matchdays.

A rotated side saw off Reims 2-0 away from home on the opening day, and after winning 2-0 in the first leg against Slavia, Genesio went slightly stronger against Angers last weekend, resulting in another win by that same scoreline.

Last week's win extended a run of just one defeat in 15 at home for Lille in the league, and they have scored an impressive 25 goals in 10 Ligue 1 matches at the Pierre-Mauroy this calendar year.

Lille Ligue 1 form:

Lille form (all competitions):

W

D

W

W

W

L

Paris Saint-Germain Ligue 1 form:

Team News

Angel Gomes remains a doubt after the sickening head injury he suffered against Reims on the opening day, but his England call-up this week suggests he could be ready to play.

Left-back Ismaily suffered a meniscus injury recently and is set to miss several weeks, meaning Gabriel Gudmundsson will continue in the starting XI.

Wide man Zhegrova is back from a domestic ban, but the Kosovan has been getting plenty of playing time in Europe, scoring the vital goal in midweek against Slavia.

Goncalo Ramos's serious ankle injury means the PSG striker will miss around three months of action, and Enrique opted to play without a recognised number nine last week, with Marco Asensio starting centrally.

Joao Neves was handed his first start since his big-money move from Benfica in the Montpellier thrashing, and Desire Doue also got an outing from the bench after signing for €50m (£42m) from Rennes.

Central defender Presnel Kimpembe is the only other player set to miss out for the visitors here, with no update expected on his fitness until after the break.

Lille possible starting lineup:

Chevalier; Meunier, Diakite, Alexandro, Gudmundsson; Andre, Cabella, Gomes; Haraldsson, David, Zhegrova

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes; Joao Neves, Zaire-Emery, Vitinha; Dembele, Marco Asensio, Barcola

We say: Lille 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain

Even though Lille were the last team to stop PSG winning the title in France, the Parisians have certainly gotten their revenge in meetings since, especially at this venue, as the visitors won 5-1 and 7-1 in the space of six months in 2022.

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