A place in the Champions League group stage is within reach for Lille, who continue their Ligue 1 campaign with a visit to Parc des Princes on Saturday versus Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Last Friday, PSG increased their lead at the top of the table to eight points with a 2-1 victory over Strasbourg, while Les Dogues moved into fourth thanks to a 4-0 triumph versus Clermont.
Match preview
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After a temporary setback to end last month, playing to a 2-2 draw with Brest, Les Parisiens returned to winning ways in the league last weekend, extending their unbeaten run in this competition to 15 matches.
That is just one fewer than their longest unbeaten run from a season ago, while they have not lost in their previous seven home fixtures in Ligue 1.
While PSG are in a comfortable position at the top of the table, Luis Enrique's men could have an even bigger lead, squandering six points from winning positions in the second half this season.
Les Parisiens have failed to win two of their last four matches immediately before the first leg in the last 16 of the Champions League, and next Wednesday, they begin their tie with Real Sociedad at home.
PSG have posted eight clean sheets after 20 domestic encounters this season, equalling the most for this club at this stage of a campaign since they were purchased by Qatar Sports Investments.
Since playing to a 1-1 draw with Lille in December, Les Parisiens have netted multiple times in eight successive matches in all competitions.
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The league leaders are not the only side in the French top flight who are regularly finding the back of the net, with Lille scoring 21 goals in six matches played this year.
They have been more clinical in the attacking third and airtight on the back end, conceding in only one of their last six matches in all competitions.
Paulo Fonseca's men have suffered just two defeats in their last 14 away matches in all competitions, losing 2-1 to Lyon at the Coupe de France on Wednesday.
This is already the third time domestically in 2023-24 that Lille have gone three successive matches without conceding in Ligue 1, though they have not recorded more than that in this competition since reeling off seven in a row between February and April 2022.
With 35 points after 20 Ligue 1 matchdays, Les Nordistes are a point ahead of where they were at this stage last season and are currently just a single point behind Brest for a place in the Champions League group phase and ahead of Monaco on goal difference for a spot in the qualifying stage of that tournament.
Lille have lost their last two Ligue 1 visits to Parc des Princes, conceding a combined six goals over that stretch, with their previous away triumph versus PSG occurring in April 2020 (1-0) when they went on to win the league.
Team News
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Alexandre Letellier will be questionable for PSG this weekend because of a viral infection, while Nuno Mendes and Layvin Kurzawa are not expected to return until the middle of the month because of a hamstring strain and back injury, respectively.
Presnel Kimpembe is out until late February with a sore Achilles tendon, Milan Skriniar could be back from his ankle soreness around that same time and Sergio Rico will not be available until early April because of a head injury.
Kylian Mbappe scored his 20th goal of the domestic campaign last weekend, putting him well in front of Wissam Ben Yedder in the Golden Boot race (11), while Marco Asensio netted his fourth of the competition, which held up as the winner.
Bafode Diakite and Samuel Umtiti are out of the Lille lineup until late February due to shoulder and knee injuries, respectively, while Ivan Cavaleiro should be back from his groin strain by the middle of the month.
Fonseca made one change to his starting 11 from matchday 19 to 20 in Ligue 1, bringing Nabil Bentaleb into the fold last weekend in place of the suspended Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Jonathan David has four goals in his last two league fixtures, netting a brace against Clermont last Sunday, with captain Benjamin Andre and Edon Zhegrova also scoring and Lucas Chevalier collecting his 12th clean sheet, one fewer than Marcin Bulka for the league lead.
Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Soler, Marquinhos, Beraldo, Hernandez; Ruiz, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery; Dembele, Mbappe, Kolo Muani
Lille possible starting lineup:
Chevalier; Santos, Yoro, Alexsandro, Ismaily; Bentaleb, Andre; Zhegrova, Yazici, Cabella; David
We say: Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Lille
While Lille have looked incredibly compact defensively, the PSG attack is on a roll and not only relying on Mbappe to score, and therefore, we doubt the visitors will be able to hold them off for 90 minutes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
