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

The hosts are currently nine points clear at the top of Ligue 1, while the visitors will begin the weekend in ninth position.

Match preview

PSG enjoyed a successful trip to San Sebastian in midweek, with Kylian Mbappe scoring a brace to lead his side to a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

That result secured the French champions a commanding 4-1 aggregate victory and sealed their place in the quarter-finals for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign.

Having already picked up the French Super Cup, Luis Enrique is dreaming of finishing his first season in charge with four pieces of silverware, with the Parisians in the hunt for the Champions League and Coupe de France trophies as well as the Ligue 1 title.

Although their last two league games have finished all square, PSG are well set to clinch their third consecutive league crown, having established a nine-point lead over second-placed Brest.

The league leaders are currently enjoying a significant unbeaten run after avoiding defeat in each of their previous 19 top-flight matches since losing 3-2 to Nice in the middle of September.

PSG will certainly fancy their chances of emerging victorious from Sunday's contest, with their last 15 competitive home matches producing 12 victories and just three draws.

Reims will head to the capital off the back of an underwhelming run of form, having won just one of their previous six league matches (D2, L4).

Will Still's side managed to end a four-game winless league run with a 2-1 victory over Le Havre, but they were quickly brought down to earth in last Saturday's home meeting with Lille.

Jonathan David's 56th-minute effort proved enough to condemn Reims to a narrow 1-0 loss, leaving them in ninth spot and five points adrift of the top six.

Although their European hopes are starting to fade, Reims will be aware that claiming all three points on Sunday may prove a stretch too far, having failed to win any of their last eight competitive games against PSG (D2, L6).

However, they will certainly draw encouragement from the fact they snatched a point from their last trip to the Parc des Princes in January 2023 when Folarin Balogun netted a 96th-minute equaliser to cancel out Neymar's opening goal.

Paris Saint-Germain Ligue 1 form:

D

W

W

W

D

D

Paris Saint-Germain form (all competitions):

W

W

W

D

D

W

Reims Ligue 1 form:

D

L

L

D

W

L

Team News

PSG forward Marco Asensio is set to miss a second straight game after he was forced off in the first half of the recent goalless draw against Monaco due to a hamstring issue.

The former Real Madrid man has joined an injury list that features Layvin Kurzawa (back), Milan Skriniar (ankle), Sergio Rico (head) and Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles).

PSG set to face Nice in the Coupe de France in midweek, and with that game in mind, Enrique could be tempted to make a few changes for Sunday's league contest, with Danilo Pereira, Manuel Ugarte, Lee Kang-in, Goncalo Ramos are all in contention for starting berths.

Fresh from netting a brace in midweek, Mbappe will be looking to add to his 34-goal league tally for the season when he lines up against Reims on Sunday afternoon.

As for the visitors, they remain without the defensive duo of Joseph Okumu and Maxime Busi due to groin and hamstring injuries respectively.

Right-back Thomas Foket is likely to come straight back into the side after he missed the recent defeat to Lille through suspension.

Oumar Diakite dropped down to the bench last weekend, but the Ivory Coast international could be brought back into the starting XI to lead the line against PSG.

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Hakimi, Pereira, Beraldo, Hernandez; Vitinha, Ugarte, Lee; Dembele, Mbappe, Ramos

Reims possible starting lineup:

Diouf; Fouket, Agbadou, Abdelhamid, De Smet; Teuma, Richardson, Munetsi; Ito, Khadra, Diakate

We say: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Reims

PSG will be full of confidence after beating Real Sociedad in midweek to extend their unbeaten run to 21 matches in all competitions.

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