Ligue 1: The Pressure is Piling Up on Paris

Paris Saint-Germain vs Lille

Three defeats on a run. That is not a fate many PSG fans would expect to suffer, but it’s true. It isn’t exactly a crisis but it has the makings of one.

And now the league leaders have a tough assignment when they meet fifth-placed Lille in a Ligue 1 fixture at the Parc des Princes. The last time the two teams met early in this campaign, PSG boss Christophe Galtier went to his old club and left with a 7-1 win, so there is an added whiff of revenge in the air to spice things up.  

At SBOTOP odds of 1.62, the Parisiens are favourites to win the Sunday lunchtime kick-off, but they are not nailed on to beat the 2021 Ligue 1 champions. And they come into the game on the back of a gruelling defeat to FC Bayern while, last week, Lille swept Strasbourg aside 2-0.  

Talking Points

Two in three is bad for PSG

Bayern Munich followed Monaco and Marseille as the third team to beat PSG over the past two weeks and the star-studded French outfit could only manage two goals in those three games. For a team top scoring in Ligue 1 with 55 goals that is a poor return, and the off-field soap opera at the club can’t be helping.

Old boy Kingsley Coman came back to haunt PSG on Tuesday and, after a two-week lay-off, the current PSG top scorer Kylian Mbappe came off the bench against Bayern but failed to make an impact.

And after the game, he took time to lecture his teammates on the lifestyle of an elite sportsman, presumably taking aim at Neymar, who was seen enjoying himself at the European poker tour in Paris the following day. Mbappe hasn’t been on good terms with the Brazilian star, who is big mates with Lionel Messi, since the start of the campaign.

The Parisiens have opened contract talks with Messi in the hope of securing his services beyond the summer, but Neymar is rumoured to be eying a move to the Premier League.

All this is not helping boss Galtier, who is beginning to come under some serious pressure after watching his side lose three consecutive games. It’s the first time PSG have recorded this many losses on the bounce since 2011 and the trigger-happy owners will be watching the situation closely.   

They still have a healthy five-point lead over Marseille at the top of the table and the Ligue 1 2023 betting odds aren’t about to turn away from Paris. That is, of course, unless Lille can make it four defeats on the bounce.  

Lille out for revenge

On the last two occasions Lille have met PSG both times at home, they have suffered a right royal spanking, 7-1 at the start of this season and 5-1 in the 2021/22 campaign.

It’s almost as if PSG wanted to make a statement to the impudent 2021 champions.  

Since then, head coach Paulo Fonseca has overseen an upturn in Ligue 1 2023 results and his team now has designs on a European place.  A 3-1 win away to Europe chasing Stade Rennes helped them to climb into the top five and they have a striker who is banging in form.

Canada international Jonathan David has emerged as a genuine candidate for the Golden Boot. He’s now on 14 goals and has made four assists, and that has hauled him to within one of current leader, Reims striker Folarin Balogun.

Lille fans will remind their hosts that their man has more goals than any of Mbappe, Messi, or Neymar this season as he sits alongside Monaco hitman Wissam Ben Yedder and Lyon legend Alexandre Lacazette on 14.  

David bagged a first-half brace against Strasbourg last week and he’ll be a handful for PSG on Sunday, as will the quick footed midfield star Remy Cabella, who has four goals and six assists.   

History

PSG have beaten these opponents 31 times over the past 30 years, while Lille have come out on top 14 times, though the Lille fans would prefer to forget the last two meetings.

Lille have been slightly stronger over the past six games having won three, drawn one, and lost two games, while PSG have won two, drawn one, and lost three.

But the Parisiens have been imperious at home in the league, winning nine and drawing two of their matches at the Parc des Princes.

Betting Tip

Lille are at 4.75 to win this game and 3.73 to draw, with the double chance at odds of 2.09. Fonseca’s side has six points to make up on third-placed Monaco, but I don’t think this is the weekend where they will make any progress. PSG are a mess off the field. But on it, they have the best players in the league by a mile. If they don’t win this, then we may well see some serious fallout in Paris.   

 

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