Luis Enrique expects PSG to get serious for trip to strugglers Lyon

By Sports Desk September 02, 2023

Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique is preparing for the usual intensity in his side’s game against Lyon despite both teams’ below-par starts to the season.

PSG finally got up and running with victory over Lens, following draws with Lorient and Toulouse. On Sunday, they visit a winless Lyon side who are kept off the bottom of Ligue 1 only by Clermont.

“We have prepared for tomorrow’s game in the same way as every game at Paris St Germain – with a serious approach, with professionalism,” Enrique said at a pre-match press conference broadcast on the club’s website.

“Lyon are a big historic club. They are one of best sides in this league and have very good players, a very good coach who I know well and played with at Barcelona, Laurent Blanc.

“It will be a tough game at a fantastic stadium with a brilliant atmosphere, the kind we like to play in. It will certainly be a difficult game. We have prepared as well as we can to try to get the three points.”

Deadline-day signing Randal Kolo Muani is still recovering from an ankle injury, but fellow newcomer Bradley Barcola will be in the squad against his former club.

Enrique said of Barcola: “He is good at dribbling down the wing and he can play as a number nine inside. We really like him and he strengthens the squad for the future as well. I think it is a great signing.”

The pair’s arrivals will increase the competition for places up front, but asked if that could push another recent recruit in Goncalo Ramos to the bench, Enrique played down any concern.

“I didn’t know Goncalo Ramos was going to be a substitute,” he said.

“I want 20 starters, not 11, 12, or 13. If we have 22 starters we are ready for any competition. That is the aim.

“There are very few substitutes here.”

Presnel Kimpembe, Lee Kang-in and left-back Nuno Mendes remain sidelined for Sunday’s game.

Lyon are without Alexandre Lacazette and Dejan Lovren, but could welcome back goalkeeper Anthony Lopes, who has trained with the squad for the first time since a pre-season facial injury.

Lopes’ return would be a boost to a defence which conceded four goals in Lyon’s previous home game against Montpellier.

Lyon manager Blanc said: “He is recovering very well. There will certainly be a discussion with the medical staff to make a decision. It’s good news to see him training with us.

“This game against Paris can help us to launch our season. Hosting Paris is not necessarily ideal to relaunch yourself, but maybe it can be the chance to erase the bad things that happened against Montpellier.

“Paris played a great match against Lens. They are a team with a lot of very good individuals.

“Anything is possible, but regardless of the system, it is PSG we are up against.”

Related items

  • Europa Conference League: Aston Villa stunned by Olympiacos Europa Conference League: Aston Villa stunned by Olympiacos

    Aston Villa were stunned by Olympiacos as they suffered a 4-2 home defeat in the Europa Conference League.

    On what the Villa faithful hoped would be a famous night at Villa Park, they instead saw their team dispatched by their Greek opponents in the first leg of their semi-final encounter.

    Ayoub El Kaabi scored a hat-trick for the visitors, who were 2-0 up inside 30 minutes on Thursday.

    Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby struck either side of the interval to restore parity, but El Kaabi sealed his hat-trick from the penalty spot before Santiago Hezze added further gloss with a sensational finish. To add to Villa's misery, Douglas Luiz then missed a penalty late on.

    In the other semi-final tie, Fiorentina took a 3-2 aggregate lead against Club Brugge.

    M'Bala Nzola was Fiorentina's hero in stoppage time, scoring in the 91st minute to nudge the Serie A team ahead.

    Hans Vanaken had scored from a penalty following a VAR check for handball in the 17th minute, cancelling out Riccardo Sottil's early opener, though Fiorentina restored their lead through Andrea Belotti before half-time in a frantic first half.

    Thiago equalised for Brugge, but it was ultimately not enough.

  • Europa League: Wirtz and Andrich goals put Leverkusen on the brink, Marseille hold Atalanta Europa League: Wirtz and Andrich goals put Leverkusen on the brink, Marseille hold Atalanta

    Bayer Leverkusen put one foot in the Europa League final as Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich scored in Thursday's 2-0 semi-final first-leg win over Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

    Roma were masters of their own downfall as Wirtz opened the scoring after 28 minutes, Rick Karsdorp's horrible error allowing Alex Grimaldo to race into the area and tee up Wirtz to finish into an unguarded net.

    Though Daniele De Rossi's hosts improved after the break, Andrich added a spectacular second with 73 minutes on the clock, the midfielder giving Mile Svilar no chance as he side-footed into the top-left corner from 25 yards out.

    Roma should have pulled one back four minutes into stoppage time, but Tammy Abraham could only nod over from inside the six-yard box after a goalmouth scramble, and they now have it all to do in next week's second leg.

    Leverkusen's unbeaten run for 2023-24 stands at 47 games across all competitions (39 wins, eight draws), and they are now overwhelming favourites to stamp their ticket to the final in Dublin.

    The other semi-final tie remains in the balance at the halfway stage, with Atalanta being pegged back in a 1-1 draw with Marseille at the Stade Velodrome.

    Having scored twice in La Dea's memorable win at Anfield in the last round, Gianluca Scamacca took in Teun Koopmeiners' pass before finishing low across goal 11 minutes in, but Gian Piero Gasperini's team couldn't hold on.

    Chancel Mbemba was the unlikely goalscorer for Marseille, stepping out of defence to clip a 25-yard effort against the far post and in after 20 minutes.

    Neither side could find a winner from there, meaning it's all to play for ahead of next week's return fixture at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.  

  • Orlando City v FC Cincinnati: Acosta hails visitors for absorbing punches Orlando City v FC Cincinnati: Acosta hails visitors for absorbing punches

    Luciano Acosta has hailed FC Cincinnati for coming through a testing period as they look to make it three straight wins in MLS play at Orlando City on Saturday.

    After going unbeaten through their first six games of the season, Cincinnati suffered back-to-back 2-1 defeats against the New York Red Bulls and CF Montreal.

    However, they have since bounced back with two wins over difficult opponents, seeing off Atlanta United and the Colorado Rapids by the same scoreline.

    Acosta scored his 44th goal for Cincinnati – the most of any player in franchise history – in that latter game, and he believes their resilience has been key. 

    "I think it's just about our mentality," Acosta said. "We lost those two games and it was a bit of a punch that woke us up. But now it's about the mentality and getting back to it."

    Head coach Pat Noonan said of Acosta: "I think what makes it more impressive is teams are going to try to prevent him from having an impact. 

    "When you're a key player and you're able to do what he's doing with the focus on stopping you in a lot of ways, that's what is unique."

    Orlando, meanwhile, were beaten 2-1 by Toronto FC last week, halting their four-game unbeaten streak and dropping them to 13th in the Eastern Conference. 

    Forward Duncan McGuire felt the Lions should have taken maximum points from that game and is desperate to atone at Inter&Co Stadium.

    "I definitely think we should've won," he said.

    "I think how difficult this felt and how this feels for us right now is going to push us and motivate us to train hard all week, to get a win for the fans at home and get the job done."

    PLAYERS TO WATCH 

    Orlando City – Duncan McGuire

    Maguire scored his fourth goal of the MLS season against Toronto last week – no other Orlando player has netted more than once in 2024.

    Those goals have come from an expected goals (xG) figure of 2.7, with the United States international also attempting a team-high 27 shots this campaign.

    FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta 

    Acosta has contributed to at least one goal in four straight MLS matches (one goal, three assists). 

    It is Acosta's fifth streak of four or more straight regular-season games with a goal contribution for Cincinnati, with Brandon Vazquez the only other player to achieve that feat for the team.

    MATCH PREDICTION – ORLANDO CITY WIN

    Orlando earned a win and a draw against Supporters' Shield winners Cincinnati last season, making them one of two teams (also the New England Revolution) to play Cincinnati twice in the 2023 regular season and not lose either match.

    The Lions may just fancy their chances of another positive result against Noonan's men, who have only won one of their last three away games (one draw, one defeat).

    Orlando have only lost two of their last 17 regular-season home matches dating back to last April, winning nine and drawing six, so viewers should expect a response to their loss last time out.

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    Orlando City – 49.3%

    FC Cincinnati – 23.6% 

    Draw – 27.1%

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.