Paris Saint-Germain hosts AS Saint-Étienne at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue and unlike last Sunday’s match, manager Thomas Tuchel will have his stars available.
The 19 players available for #PSGASSE📋
🔴🔵#ICICESTPARIS pic.twitter.com/wfRopStrlH
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 8, 2020
For the first time in 2020, Angel Di Maria, Mauro Icardi, Kylian Mbappé, and Neymar Jr. return to the squad and are expected to play against Les Verts where PSG will be hoping to advance and ultimately win the Coupe de la Ligue in its last year of existence.
While PSG could likely win this match without their Fantastic Four, it’s important for Tuchel to continue to build up their match fitness. He’ll also want to see them continue to improve in his preferred 4-4-2 formation, which is likely to be deployed in the UEFA Champions League.
Here is who I believe Tuchel will start alongside those four players against Saint-Étienne:
Formation: 4-4-2
Goalkeeper: Sergio Rico
Defenders: Juan Bernat, Marquinhos, Thilo Kehrer, Colin Dagba
Midfielders: Idrissa Gueye, Marco Verratti
Forwards: Angel Di Maria, Mauro Icardi, Kylian Mbappé, Neymar Jr.
Sergio Rico was at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday so it’s safe to say he will be in goal for Keylor Navas.
Abdou Diallo, Presnel Kimpembe, and Thiago Silva are all out of the squad so Marquinhos will slot back into his preferred center-back role alongside Thilo Kehrer. Juan Bernat will fill in at left-back as usual and I believe Tuchel will show some confidence in Colin Dagba (gave up a penalty against ESA Linas Montlhéry) and start him at right-back.
The midfield should be controlled by Idrissa Gueye and Marco Verratti. The Senegal international did play last Sunday but only in a brief appearance as a substitute while Verratti was left on the bench.
The forwards will be the Fantastic Four I mentioned earlier. If I were managing against them I would probably go with an 8-man backline. They’re that good.
On the bench will be Tanguy Kouassi and while I’m hopeful that he will get some minutes, I’m frustrated that Tuchel did not include Adil Aouchiche in the squad. The 17-year-old scored PSG’s first goal against Linas-Montlhéry and the fact that he hasn’t signed a professional contract with PSG worries me. He’s one of the brightest young talents in football and I don’t want him to leave in search of more playing time elsewhere.
Score Prediction: 3-1 to PSG
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Will neymar Jr go back to Barselona