Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon go head-to-head in one of the most exciting fixtures on the Ligue 1 football schedule and it’s time to preview the game and take a look at the expected lineups. All eyes will be on the Parc des Princes on Sunday night, as six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi is set to make his home debut for new employers.
Despite fielding their all-star attacking trio, PSG played out a dismal 1-1 draw with Belgian side Club Brugge in their Champions League curtain-raiser a few days ago. By contrast, Lyon eased past reigning Scottish champions Rangers 2-0 on the road in their opening Europa Conference League match.
PSG vs Lyon Head-to-Head
Lyon eked out a narrow 1-0 victory in their most recent Ligue 1 visit to the Parc des Princes, courtesy of Tino Kadewere’s first-half strike. That’s as many triumphs as they have in their previous 14 Ligue 1 trips to Paris (D3, L10). Les Gones could now win two consecutive top-flight H2Hs in the capital for the first time in over 30 years.
Still, Lyon lament a worryingly low 31% win percentage against PSG in Ligue 1 match-ups (26/84), home and away. Against this backdrop, they have inflicted more top-flight defeats on Paris (5) than any other French side since the Qatari takeover in 2011 (D3, L12).
Regardless of the outcome, we may have a goal-friendly affair on our hands. Before Lyon’s abovementioned 1-0 win, their previous two Ligue 1 H2Hs in Paris had featured 5+ overall goals, with PSG netting at least four on each occasion.
PSG Form Preview
Paris Saint-Germain are looking like their dominant selves again after surrendering the Ligue 1 crown to Lille last season. A star-studded PSG, led by quicksilver forward Kylian Mbappe, boast a 100% win ratio in the domestic championship this season, having won all five top-flight matches so far.
A five-match winning start is a good omen, as PSG won the title in both previous Ligue 1 campaigns when winning their first five league fixtures, most recently in 2018/19. An upturn in form has seen Paris turn a three-game losing streak in home league outings into a resounding five-match winning run.
Notably, they did so in emphatic fashion, returning an intimidating +12 goal difference from that five-game winning streak (GF:17, GA:5). A true force to be reckoned with, Mauricio Pochettino’s men have scored precisely four goals in each of their opening two Ligue 1 triumphs on home turf. Delivering action from the get-go, the hosts have netted 2+ first-half goals in both league matches at the Parc des Princes.
Lionel Messi could unveil himself to the PSG faithful on Sunday after making a cameo appearance in his side’s 2-0 win at Reims a fortnight ago. The Argentine, who left Barcelona in one of the most sensational transfer sagas in football history in the summer, made his full debut for Paris in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Lyon Form Preview
Unlike PSG, Lyon’s new Ligue 1 campaign had been off to a sluggish start, with Les Gones going winless in their opening three league fixtures this term (D2, L1). However, Peter Bosz’s men have bounced back from torrid early exchanges to record back-to-back top-flight victories by an aggregate scoreline of 4-1.
Though they head into proceedings as outsiders, Lyon can draw confidence from their impressive away form since the start of the 2020/21 season. The visitors have suffered just two defeats across their last 21 Ligue 1 road trips (W12, D7), which stands for the best unbeaten ratio in France’s top-flight in that time.
Defensive woes should concern the traveling side, as they’ve managed just one clean sheet in their last 11 outings in Ligue 1, though midweek’s victory in Scotland ‘to nil’ represents an improvement. Particularly vulnerable in the later stages of play, Les Gones have conceded at least once beyond the 75th minute in three of their last four league matches.
But Lyon have been impressive at the other end of the pitch, scoring precisely three goals twice in their last three Ligue 1 fixtures, albeit each time at the Groupama Stadium.
In-form marksman Moussa Dembele could pose an imminent threat after converting each of his previous four attempts on target in Ligue 1. Meanwhile, Karl Toko Ekambi could be a source of early menace, with the Cameroonian registering his last six Ligue 1 goals before half-time.
PSG vs Lyon Predicted Line-ups
PSG (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Nuno Mendes, Presnel Kimpembe, Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi; Ander Herrera, Idrissa Gueye; Angel Di Maria, Neymar, Lionel Messi; Mauro Icardi.
Lyon (4-2-3-1): Anthony Lopes; Emerson, Jason Denayer, Damien Da Silva, Malo Gusto; Maxence Caqueret, Bruno Guimaraes; Lucas Paqueta, Houssem Aouar, Xherdan Shaqiri; Karl Toko Ekambi.