It is a meeting between two unfortunate teams. Four days after their incredible elimination in the Champions League against Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain receives, Sunday March 13 at 1 p.m., the Girondins de Bordeaux. This is the 110th confrontation between the two historic clubs in the Ligue 1 championship. But this time it has the particularity of opposing a formation shaken by its exit from the European road, and one which sees the pangs of relegation approaching. . If there is nothing comparable in absolute terms between the best attack in France and the worst defense, many questions still arise on both sides.
Paris or the spleen of the Champions League
For the Parisians, it is a difficult return which is announced in front of their supporters at the Parc des Princes. Exit from the race for the “big-eared cup” by Real Madrid, eliminated in the Coupe de France by Nice, defeated in the Champions Trophy against Losc, Mauricio Pochettino’s players only have the coronation in Ligue 1 to win a trophy. They have a comfortable mattress 13 points ahead of the second, an advantage which could, however, lead them to let themselves go.
Moreover, in Madrid, the capital’s players sinned mentally after conceding the equalizer, leaving the impression of a team that only works when it is confident. After two defeats in their last three league games, the Parisians must react without their midfield leader, Marco Verratti, suspended. As a reminder, during the first leg, the Parisians led (3-0) before showing flaws and scaring themselves by conceding two goals at the end of the game (3-2).
The Girondins in the storm
Red lantern of Ligue 1, Bordeaux fights for its maintenance. If the club with the scapular is part of the furniture of the championship (present in the elite since 1992), its collective has won only one match in 2022, in all competitions. Arrived on the bench in February, David Guion nevertheless wants to believe in it, recalling that his collective “is only three points from 16th“. But confront “Championship Everest“, a “leader, who dominates and who is almost invincible with only three defeats in Ligue 1“, is quite a challenge for Bordeaux residents who want to “earn as many points as possible“.
0/25 – Bordeaux are the 3rd team not to achieve a clean sheet in their first 25 matches of a Ligue 1 season after Toulon and Stade Français in 1959/60 and the 1st being unpromoted. Gruyere. #FCGBASM pic.twitter.com/bfSGIV4WV6
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) February 20, 2022
Worst defense in Ligue 1 (65 goals conceded), Bordeaux moves to the best attack in Ligue 1 (56 goals scored), which scores more than two goals per game on average. In a device with five defenders, used since the arrival of David Guion, which had allowed the Bordelais to put AS Monaco in difficulty, the Girondins will try to cash in on the Parisian offensives without giving in. That would already be a feat.