After four matches with almost the same starting lineup, PSG coach Christophe Galtier, forced by the runaway schedule, will have to resort to turnover from Wednesday in Toulouse (9:00 p.m.) for the 5th day of L1, the start of the season. a series of six meetings in 19 days.
Note changes!
With the start of the Champions League on September 6 and the tempting reception of Juventus Turin, Paris will be faced with an insane program and the time has come for the Parisian technician to spare his troops by rotating his workforce. “I have a quality group and in certain sectors there is the possibility of replacing a player without weakening. It seems important to me, at the start of this series, to inject fresh blood”Galtier said on Tuesday.
The establishment of a collective justified, in the eyes of the Parisian technician, to play stability at the start of the season, an approach which allowed his team to start the championship on excellent bases, with cards against Clermont ( 5-0), Montpellier (5-2) and Lille (7-1). The three-man defense has settled in, the recovery duo Marco Verratti-Vitinha worked on their complementarity and above all the trio of magicians shone, Neymar scoring 6 goals, Kylian Mbappé 4 and Lionel Messi 3. But this almost frozen formation stalled for the first time against Monaco on Sunday (1-1), showing the first signs of fatigue, proof that the hour of rotation has come.
Against the ASM, “I noticed that some of our players suffered. Our captain suffered from cramps, we sometimes broke on certain sprints”had thus recognized from the final whistle Galtier, who already had in mind to give a breather to very busy players and to see new faces at the entrance work.
Will the “MNM” blow?
Renato Sanches’ first start on Sunday at the Parc, where Vitinha was suspended, was not conclusive but the Portuguese could have a second chance at the Stadium, perhaps in place of Verratti. Unless the situation benefits Danilo, author of a good entry into the 2nd period against the Monegasques. In defense, in addition to the Marquinhos case, Galtier must deal with the package of Presnel Kimpembe (calf) and the illustrious veteran Sergio Ramos, 36, should logically be put to rest. The versatile Nordi Mukiele, summer recruit from RB Leipzig, could therefore take over from one of the centrals, but Galtier also has the possibility of aligning him as a right piston, to rest Achraf Hakimi, less bleeding against Monaco. On the left, this role could go to Juan Bernat, in place of Nuno Mendes.
But the main question concerns the “MNM”. Will Galtier dare to touch his star trio Messi-Neymar-Mbappé? The young Hugo Ekitike (20 years old), very little seen for the moment, is applying in any case for a first starting place since his arrival in the capital, Pablo Sarabia being hit in the left leg. A change of system cannot be ruled out either, Galtier having only operated in 3-4-3 in five games, all competitions combined. “We must be able to modify our approaches”warned Galtier on Sunday, aware that his training had difficulty countering the high pressing of ASM.
WITH AFP
Toulouse – PSG match to follow in full on France Bleu Paris with comments from Miguel Derennes, Bruno Salomon and Eric Rabesandratana, kick-off 9 p.m.