After two consecutive stumbles against Benfica, the Parisian team will seek to return to the path of victory against Maccabi Haifa
Kimpembe and Nuno Mendes return to the squad after overcoming their respective injuries
They say that the third time lucky and, after two consecutive stumbles against Benfica, PSG hope to give the definitive blow to the leadership of group H with a victory against Maccabi Haifa. The match may seem affordable, but the Israeli side have already proven to be an unreliable opponent against Juventus, who they beat by a surprising 2-0 thanks to a brace from Atzili.
The significance of the meeting is undeniable, but the sensations in the Parc des Princes cannot be better. Whether due to the change of scheme, the return of the best Messi after overcoming his injury or the evident improvement at a collective level, the Parisian team has overcome the bump in results that led him to three consecutive draws, two in the Champions League and one in the league. It not only wins, it also convinces.
Trainers don’t usually touch what works for them, so Galtier will predictably form again with a 4-3-1-2. However, the Parisian coach warned at a press conference that he has no intention of marrying any system. “Don’t think that we have radically abandoned the idea of playing with three centre-backs. Now we can play with two systems (4-3-1-2 and 3-5-2).”
The preparation of this new scheme, in the words of the GaltierHe wasn’t looking for a single goal. “We thought about how we could use the quality of the squad and, above all, our three strikers in a different way.” The results, for the moment, prove him right, since Messi, Neymar and Mbappé are at an excellent level And they seem to understand each other perfectly.
As if that weren’t enough positive news, the Parisian coach recovers Kimpembe and Nuno Mendes for the cause. It doesn’t seem likely that either would start, but they add depth to a defensive line that was sluggish due to injuries.
Leaving aside the strictly sporty aspect, Parisian authorities have declared PSG-Maccabi Haifa a high-risk match. The reason for this decision is focused on the conflict between Israel and Palestine, since some fans of the Parisian team have taken sides in favor of the latter. The animation sector of the Parc des Princes exhibited a flag in favor of Palestine, while the group ‘Collectif Ultras’ has participated in demonstrations to claim the situation of the Palestinian people.
Likely lineups
PSG: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Ramos, Marquinhos, Bernat; Fabian, Verratti, Vitinha; Messi; Mbappe, Neymar.
Maccabi Haifa: Cohen; Sundgren, Batubinsika, Goldberg, Conrud; Mohamed, Lavi; Atzili, Chery, David; Pierrot.
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany).
Stadium: Parc des Princes.