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Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will look to seal their 10th French top-flight title when they host Lens on Saturday night (23 April).
Mauricio Pochettino’s side currently enjoy a 15-point lead over second-placed Marseille. Even a draw with Lens on matchday 34 would wrap up the Ligue 1 title for PSG with four games to spare.
Below, we will give you the Parisians’ team news for their clash against Lens at the Parc des Princes and predict their starting XI. Now, without further ado, let’s get to it.
PSG team news for matchday 34
Lionel Messi missed PSG’s 3-0 victory over Angers on Wednesday night (20 April) due to an Achilles injury. The former Barcelona man is unlikely to return to full fitness in time for the weekend's match against Lens. Marco Verratti and Presnel Kimpembe both have knee injuries and are major doubts for the game.
Leandro Paredes (groin) and Julian Draxler (knee) were recently operated on and are set to miss the clash against Lens. Abdou Diallo (Knee) remains sidelined, while Ander Herrera is racing against time to bounce back from a hamstring issue.
Edouard Michut, who received a straight red following a poor challenge on Angers’ Romain Thomas, is suspended for the Lens match.
Goalkeeper: Keylor Navas
First-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has witnessed a stark dip in his performances in recent weeks, allowing Keylor Navas to breathe down his neck.
Mauricio Pochettino started Navas at Angers on Wednesday and the Costa Rican repaid the manager's faith with a much-appreciated clean sheet.
We do not expect the PSG boss to drop Navas at the weekend.
Right-back: Achraf Hakimi
Achraf Hakimi has proven himself to be quite a handful this season, pitching in with three goals and six assists in Ligue 1 alone.
The Morocco international assisted Kylian Mbappe’s opener against Angers and we look forward to witnessing the magical connection once again versus Lens on Saturday.
Centre-back: Sergio Ramos
Former Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos has missed 25 Ligue 1 matches due to injuries since joining the club on a free transfer last summer.
He recently bounced back from a calf injury and was on the scoresheet in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Angers.
We expect him to put in another spirited performance at the Parc des Princes on Saturday.
Centre-back: Marquinhos
PSG skipper Marquinhos is arguably the best centre-back in Ligue 1, making him one of the first names on the teamsheet.
The Brazilian also found the back of the net in PSG’s midweek win at Angers, proving his potency at both ends of the pitch.
Left-back: Nuno Mendes
Pochettino opted for an experimental back-five in the Ligue 1 clash at Angers, deploying Juan Bernat in the left wing-back position ahead of a three-man backline.
The Argentine might not be as experimental on Saturday in a potential title-deciding clash, meaning first-choice left-back Nuno Mendes could return to the fold.
Defensive midfield: Idrissa Gueye
Mauricio Pochettino picked Eric Ebimbe ahead of Idrissa Gueye against Angers. The 21-year-old failed to justify his coach’s confidence and looked clueless for most of the match.
He also picked up a needless booking early in the second half and became even more awkward for the remainder of the game.
It would not be surprising to see Gueye make a triumphant return to the starting XI against at the weekend.
Central midfield: Georginio Wijnaldum
It is safe to say that Georginio Wijnaldum’s free transfer to PSG from Liverpool last summer did not pan out the way everyone expected.
All the Dutchman can do now is let bygones be bygones and focus on ending the season on a high.
He seemed to be on song at Angers on Wednesday and should get another opportunity to impress against Lens.
Central midfield: Danilo Pereira
Danilo Pereira is one of the very few players who can strike the perfect balance between attack and defense. The midfielder loves to move forward and is capable of shielding his defense as well.
Pereira, who has five Ligue 1 goals to his name this season, is likely to be one of the first names on the teamsheet against Lens.
Right-wing: Angel Di Maria
Since joining from Manchester United for £44 million in 2015, Angel Di Maria has been a diligent stalwart for PSG.
Playing in a front-two alongside Kylian Mbappe, the Argentine created two goals in the 3-0 win over Angers in midweek.
In Messi’s absence, we fully expect Di Maria to keep his place and torment the Lens backline at the Parc des Princes.
Striker: Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is by far the most important player at PSG, emerging as Ligue 1’s leading scorer (22) and assist provider (14) this season.
The Frenchman, who was on the scoresheet in the win against Angers, is expected to add to his tally on Saturday.
Left-wing: Neymar
PSG’s most expensive player Neymar missed the midweek win against Angers due to a suspension over an accumulation of yellow cards.
Given the type of form he’s in (six goals in his last three matches), the Brazilian should be a shoo-in for the clash against Lens.
