Leaders in Ligue 1 Paris Saint Germain will be back in action on Friday evening, when they are welcome Toulouse to the Parc des Princes.

Luis Enrique is under increasing pressure in the French capital because of their terrible start in the Champions League, but there is no complaining about the way the Parisians have started on home soil.

Match example

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Since Qatar’s takeover of PSG, one thing has been crystal clear: continental success is the main priority.

That is something current manager Enrique does not offer, as PSG face the prospect of missing the Champions League knockout stages entirely.

At the half-way point, PSG are 25th, with only the top 24 advancing to the knockouts, after a late 2-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid on matchday four.

With Bayern Munich looming in midweek, it will come as no surprise that their upcoming league match against Toulouse is something of an afterthought given they are in a comfortable position domestically. six points ahead of second-placed Monaco.

PSG managed to maintain that lead at the top by beating Angers 4-2 before the international break, a week after beating Lens 1-0, keeping a rare home clean sheet.

That means the home side now have a chance to keep a clean sheet in consecutive home games for the first time in more than a year, but to do that they would have to improve on their results against Toulouse from last season.

Carlos MartinezThe Manchester United side are the only team to have beaten PSG in Ligue 1 in 40 games, having done so in May at the end of last season.

As a result, Toulouse took four points off the champions in the 2023/24 season, meaning the Violets were able to remain unbeaten against PSG in three straight games for the first time in fifteen years.

It’s also not outside the possibility that this could happen again, given Toulouse’s recent form in Ligue 1.

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Consecutive wins over Montpellier, Reims and Rennes, all without setbacks, mean Toulouse have the chance to win four league games in a row here for the first time since 2010, and the club has also not kept four clean sheets in a row for over eleven years .

It has been a stunning turnaround for Martinez’s men of late, with the three wins coming after they managed just one in the opening eight games of the season.

Toulouse had just six points out of a possible 24 and found themselves in the relegation zone, but now they are just two points clear of the European places, providing a healthy buffer between themselves and the bottom three.

Rekindling good form on the road has been crucial as Toulouse have now won nine games on the road in Ligue 1 in 2024 – the most the club has enjoyed in a calendar year in their history.

Tapping into that form will be crucial in their next two games on the road as after this trip to the champions, Martinez will then take his men to Monaco for their next away match.

Paris Saint-Germain Ligue 1 form:

Paris Saint-Germain form (all competitions):

Toulouse Ligue 1 form:

Team news

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A heavy rotation could be on the cards for PSG given the importance of their Champions League clash with Bayern in midweek.

Marquinhos should be fresh for that as he will serve a one-match suspension here and watch the match on the sidelines alongside the injured trio Presnel KimpembeLucas Hernandes and Goncalo Ramos.

Willian Pacho missed the win over Angers, and although he was fit to play for Ecuador during the international break, the late return from South America means he will be a doubt here.

Ousmane Dembele It should be good to play despite not joining the French team, and despite that Randal Kolo Muani If he did, his poor recent form could see him start again on the bench, with Enrique recently favoring a false nine.

After another excellent performance last time in the 2-0 success at Rennes, Toulouse can remain unchanged here.

Danish defender Rasmus Nicolaisen is the only injury concern at the moment, but the visitors will have to monitor its fitness Mark McKenzie (USA) and Gabriel Suazo (Chile), both of whom will report late from international duty.

Possible starting line-up of Paris Saint-Germain:
Safonov; Hakimi, Lucas Beraldo, Skriniar, Zague; Joao Neves, Mayulu, Fabian Ruiz; Doué, Asensio, Barcola

Toulouse possible starting line-up:
Rest; Kamanzi, Sidibe, Cresswell, Akdag, Donnum; Casseres, Sierro; Aboukhlal, King, Gboho

We say: Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Toulouse

Toulouse’s victory here in May was their first at the Parc des Princes since 2008, and although they also held PSG to a draw earlier last season, a repeat of the feat will be unlikely even if the home side rotate heavily.

Even if Enrique has shuffled the pack a bit for Ligue 1 games, they still look more impressive than when their strong side played in Europe, so another win is on the line here.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match, click here.

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