Preview: Monaco vs. Paris Saint-Germain - prediction, team news, lineups

Les Parisiens lost 2-1 to Marseille in their last-16 cup battle on Wednesday night, while Philippe Clement's side eased past the threat of Clermont 2-0 last weekend.

Match preview

Quietly but effectively going about their business with aplomb since the World Cup break, Monaco are firmly in the mix for a podium finish in Ligue 1 this season and took just 13 minutes to put the game to bed against Clermont last time out.

With just three minutes on the clock, Caio Henrique's free kick met the head of Guillermo Maripan, whose deflected effort found the back of the net, before Breel Embolo scored his 12th goal of the season after a neat piece of skill from Aleksandr Golovin on the left.

Stringing their unbeaten run in the top flight to seven games since going down 3-2 to Marseille just before the World Cup, Les Monegasques currently occupy fourth place in the Ligue 1 table but are only two points worse off than Lens and Marseille as their Champions League rivals slip up.

The gap to PSG will also be cut down to seven points should Clement's side prevail here, so a title charge certainly cannot be ruled out in that scenario, and an early exit from the Coupe de France at the hands of Rodez AF means that Monaco will not be battling midweek fatigue against the champions.

The hosts' tally of 48 goals in Ligue 1 this season can only be bettered by PSG (54), and all of their last three top-flight matches at the Stade Louis II have ended in victory, so some may even consider the inconsistent league leaders to be the underdogs on Saturday.

PSG had to rely on a pair of stunning strikes from Achraf Hakimi and Lionel Messi to see off Toulouse in Ligue 1 last weekend, but with the influential pair off their game during their Coupe de France last-16 tie with Marseille, Igor Tudor's side took full advantage.

Sergio Ramos went from zero to hero in the first half - giving away a penalty for Alexis Sanchez to convert before heading home the equaliser just before half time - but Ruslan Malinovskyi restored Marseille's lead with a thunderous strike in the 57th minute.

Galtier will not be leading PSG to cup glory this term, but courtesy of their narrow win over Toulouse, Les Parisiens still hold a healthy eight-point lead at the top of the Ligue 1 table, and that buffer will certainly be needed during an unforgiving few weeks of fixtures.

Bayern Munich visit the Parc des Princes for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday, while Lille, Marseille and Nantes also lie in wait in Ligue 1 over the next month, so Galtier's men sure have picked the worst time to experience a sticky patch of form.

Les Parisiens have also failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last four away matches in the top flight and dropped points to Monaco in a 1-1 draw at the Parc des Princes in August, while their most recent trip to the Stade Louis II last March ended in a humbling 3-0 defeat.

Monaco Ligue 1 form:

W

D

W

D

W

W

Paris Saint-Germain Ligue 1 form:

L

W

L

D

W

W

Paris Saint-Germain form (all competitions):

W

W

D

W

W

L

Team News

Still missing the in-demand Vanderson due to a knee injury and Malang Sarr due to a hip issue, Monaco are otherwise well-stocked for the visit of the champions. Seventeen-year-old Eliesse Ben Seghir (foot) is absent too but would certainly not have started.

As a result, Clement should resist the urge to alter a winning formula, although well-rested captain Wissam Ben Yedder - who has 12 Ligue 1 goals to his name this term - will surely challenge Takumi Minamino's spot alongside the in-form Embolo.

Minamino played a key part in Monaco's second goal, though - winning the ball back in midfield and sparking the attack - so the ex-Liverpool man could still threaten Krepin Diatta's place on the right.

Meanwhile, PSG were boosted by the returns of Neymar and Ramos from their groin problems for the clash with Marseille, but Kylian Mbappe is still a couple of weeks away from returning from his thigh injury.

Nordi Mukiele and the perennially-injured Renato Sanches are also taking beds in the medical bay, while Presnel Kimpembe has returned to full training from an Achilles issue but was not involved in the cup, as Galtier continues to tread carefully with the centre-back's fitness.

Carlos Soler and Hugo Ekitike will both come in contention for starts after a few uninspiring performances from Galtier's men on Wednesday, where Fabian Ruiz in particular failed to cut the mustard and may be considered for demotion.

Monaco possible starting lineup:

Nubel; Aguilar, Disasi, Maripan, Henrique; Minamino, Camara, Fofana, Golovin; Ben Yedder, Embolo

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Ramos, Mendes; Vitinha, Pereira, Verratti; Soler; Messi, Neymar

We say: Monaco 2-1 Paris Saint-Germain

Monaco have been no strangers to victories over PSG in the past few years, and Clement's prolific side will no doubt view anything other than three points on Saturday as an opportunity missed.

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