Paris SG, who will reserve Lionel Messi and Neymar and with the doubt of Kylian Mbappé, will play their last game against Clermont on Saturday before their debut in the Champions League, on Wednesday against Bruges.
The team coached by Mauricio Pochettino, who is already the leader with a full 12 points, by 10 from Angers and 8 from his rival on Saturday, has as its main unknown the Mbappé contest, who had to leave the concentration of the last week French selection for inconvenience.
Those who should not take part in that meeting are the South American stars of the French team, mainly Messi and Neymar, after participating with their respective teams on Thursday in the qualifiers for Qatar-2022.
Reigning French champions, Lille (10th), will open the 5th round by visiting Lorient (7th) after a very uneven start to the campaign, with only one victory in four games and five points added.
– Marseille of Sampaoli undefeated –
That only victory was achieved just before the international break (2-1 against Montpellier), which should give confidence to a Lille that will train in the Champions League on Tuesday by hosting Bundesliga leaders Wolfsburg.
Another team that should be relaunched after an uneven start to the season is Lyon (9th), who will play on Sunday against Strasbourg (13th) before starting their journey in the Europe League on Thursday 16 against Glasgow Rangers in Scotland.
The other two French teams in contention in this second continental competition, Monaco (14th) and Marseille (5th), will meet on Saturday in the Principality, a litmus test for Jorge Sampaoli’s team, which remains undefeated this season, although it counts with one game less, the one that was suspended in Nice after clashes between players and local fans.
Regarding this game, the league’s disciplinary commission decided on Wednesday that it be repeated on neutral ground and behind closed doors.
The same commission punished Nice, the local team, with the withdrawal of two points in the classification, one of them without compliance at the moment except for a repeat offense. AFP (HN)
– Program of the 5th day of Ligue 1
Friday:
Lorient – Lille
Saturday:
Paris SG – Clermont
Monaco – Marseille
Sunday:
Montpellier – Saint Etienne
Brest – Angers
Metz – Troyes
Bordeaux – Lens
Rennes – Reims
Nantes – Nice
Lyon – Strasbourg.