Toulousevs.PSG

Arguably no club is in better form across Europe than PSG at present, as their results and performances continue to get better and better, week by week.

Match preview

A great week for Luis Enrique's side saw them thrash another distant title rival in Ligue 1, before they took one giant stride towards the last 16 of the Champions League in midweek.

PSG are still cruising to the title after a 4-1 win over Monaco at the Parc des Princes last weekend, and they followed that up by beating fellow French side Brest in the knockout playoffs of the Champions League on Tuesday, winning 3-0 on the road to put them in a very commanding position ahead of next week's second leg.

Sitting 10 points clear at the Ligue 1 summit, and almost assured of progression in Europe means PSG have passed two of their early February tests with flying colours, and on paper this next clash with Toulouse should be one of the more straightforward assignments for them.

The Parisians will face Lyon and Lille, as well as a Coupe de France quarter-final against fourth-tier Stade Briochin, in the next three weeks, before an expected last-16 tie in Europe against either Liverpool or Barcelona, so maintaining their current performance levels will be important ahead of then.

PSG cannot take anything for granted though, because Toulouse were the last side to beat them in Ligue 1 - on matchday 33 last season.

With the possibility of becoming the first club ever to complete an entire Ligue 1 season undefeated, Enrique will want to ensure his players remain focused, despite the mammoth lead they have at the top.

With just 34 game in a Ligue 1 season nowadays, it will be a big ask to beat the current one-season record held by Nantes, who went 32 games unbeaten in 1994-95, but PSG's away form domestically suggests they will extend it here.

Without defeat in 34 away league games, only the legendary AC Milan team of the early 1990s have ever enjoyed a longer run in the history of Europe's top-five leagues, and with 24 wins in 29 previous meetings against Toulouse, the away support will be in an expectant mood.

The visitors should feel even more confident when they check Toulouse's recent results, because the hosts are without a win in five Ligue 1 games, after winning six of the eight prior.

It is over a year since Toulouse endured a worse run in the league, and it does suggest their season is fizzling out already, despite it still only being February.

Carles Martinez's side sit 10th, six points off Europe, and nine points clear of the bottom three, and with little down for them in the league, it made their Coupe de France exit to Guingamp even more disappointing last week.

The Violets did at least show some fighting spirit to claim a point at Auxerre last weekend, with 19-year-old Noah Edjouma scoring a last-minute leveller on his Ligue 1 debut in a 2-2 draw.

That is the sort of scoreline the Toulouse faithful have become accustomed to, especially at home, because despite scoring in each of their last 10 home games, they have also now conceded in the last four - their longest run of scoring and conceding at home since 2015.

Toulouse Ligue 1 form:

W

L

D

L

D

D

Toulouse form (all competitions):

W

D

L

D

L

D

Paris Saint-Germain Ligue 1 form:

W

W

W

D

W

W

Paris Saint-Germain form (all competitions):

D

W

W

W

W

W

Team News

The only injury worry for PSG concerns young midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery, who remains sidelined with an ankle injury, but apart from that, Enrique should have the rest of his squad available to him.

With such a commanding lead in Europe, there is little need for Enrique to protect his players ahead of the second leg against Brest, so they may go largely strong in this one.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Goncalo Ramos and Lee Kang-in could return to the side, but there has to be a place for the most in-form player in Europe at present, Ousmane Dembele, who has scored 18 goals in his last 11 appearances.

Toulouse's teenage goalkeeper Guillaume Restes was dropped at the weekend following a shaky run of form, with Norwegian stopper Kjetil Haug potentially set for another start.

Josh King was forced off with injury in the first half of their draw with Auxerre and is likely to miss out, along with fellow attacker Yann Gboho, who is recovering from a hamstring issue.

In defence, Martinez is without Rasmus Nicolaisen due to a calf problem, and the experienced Djibril Sidibe, who is missing with an Achilles injury.

Toulouse possible starting lineup:

Haug; Akdag, Cresswell, Suazo; Messali, Sierro, Casseres, Donnum; Babicka, Magri, Aboukhlal

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Hakimi, Lucas Beraldo, Pacho, Hernandez; Lee, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Dembele, Goncalo Ramos, Kvaratskhelia

We say: Toulouse 1-3 Paris Saint-Germain

PSG are taking Ligue 1 by storm, and no club has been able to get the better of them since Toulouse did in May, but this will be a big ask for a club currently out of form.

Written by

Andrew Delaney

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