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On Friday night, PSG will travel to Ligue 1 Auxerre to face the team managed by Luis Enrique, who is now being criticized for his tactics.
Last weekend, PSG lost to Nantes, dropping points for the second straight match following their Champions League loss.
Previous Matches and Head-to-head
Last Saturday, PSG was held at home by lowly Nantes, adding more misery to the management's situation.
Even if PSG once again flattered to deceive, the Canaries nevertheless managed to take a point away from the Parc des Princes despite being on a four-game losing streak and having gone nine games without a victory.
The Parisians failed to secure all three points despite having the most possession in Ligue 1 in 17 years (84%), 24 shots, and an xG of 2.56.
Even more astonishing was that PSG had won their last seven matches against opponents in the lower half of the league, scoring three goals or more in each of those victories.
Though Enrique is still in a precarious position, PSG's advantage at the top of the league has grown to seven points thanks to Monaco's loss last weekend. PSG has also remained undefeated in Ligue 1 this season.
There will be little time for a league game this week as the team prepares for their massive trip to Red Bull Salzburg.
But Auxerre will not be pushed over quickly, so PSG shouldn't assume they can turn up and win at the Stade de l'Abbe Deschamps.
Despite losing 2-0 at Toulouse last weekend—their sixth loss in seven away games—Christophe Pelissier's squad has been outstanding since returning to Ligue 1.
The loss ended their five-game winning streak, costing them 13 points and putting them in direct competition for a spot in Europe.
Auxerre is in a very tight mid-table position, one point above the relegation zone and four points above the playoffs. They will be looking to follow in the footsteps of teams like Brest and Lens, who have managed to sneak into the Champions League spots in previous seasons.
Their strength has been playing at home, where they have won 15 points in six games this season, second only to their forthcoming opponent and current league leaders, PSG.
Despite the difficulty of the task at hand, manager Pelissier could have a better track record against the club from the capital. In his twelve matches in charge, they have lost nine times, including a pair of home defeats in their relegation season of 2022–23.
Auxerre vs. Paris Saint-Germain Team News
As far as PSG is concerned, Senny Mayulu, Lucas Hernandez, and Presnel Kimpembe are all still out with injuries.
Last weekend, Goncalo Ramos returned from an ankle injury and made his first start since August. However, he was unable to lead PSG to a win, and with Randal Kolo Muani out with an injury, his minutes may be controlled.
Ousmane Dembele's suspension for that European match means he may be expected to start today instead of on Tuesday when the team travels to Austria.
Auxerre also has some injury concerns; Ange Loic N'Gatta is still injured, while Ousoumane Camara and Lasso Coulibaly will not play until the new year.
Hamed Traore, Auxerre's star player, has six goals in Ligue 1 this season—tied with Bradley Barcola, Mason Greenwood, and Jonathan David—even though he was scoreless in last week's loss.
Our Predictions
PSG to win @ 1.41 on Sky247.ng
Despite their well-documented problems, Auxerre will still have difficulty beating the lone remaining undefeated team in Ligue 1. This is true, even though Auxerre has been fantastic at home this season.
Even with a bit of lineup change, they should still be able to defeat a problematic Auxerre club. However, Enrique would likely give up a win tonight to guarantee a victory on Tuesday.
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