Prior to Paris Saint-Germain’s visit to the Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille OSC was one of the best teams in Ligue 1 with 8 wins and 2 draws.
After 90 minutes against Thomas Tuchel’s squad though, Les Dogues caught their first loss of the season in front of their home supporters.
Neymar Jr. recorded a brace to secure the 2-0 win for PSG and extend their lead to 10 points at the top of Ligue 1 over rivals Olympique de Marseille.
The Brazilian was brilliant on the night. L’Equipe rated him an 8 out of 10, the highest of any player on the pitch on Sunday, and wrote that he played with “a radiance as bright as his hair.”
It was a good test for PSG as they continue to work towards the February 18 match against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League. Lille played PSG tough and perhaps deserved more from the game. Credit to PSG’s defense but that’s where the recap takes a turn.
At halftime, captain Thiago Silva was taken off due to “pubic pain” (confirmed by Tuchel via Culture PSG) and replaced with 17-year-old Tanguy Kouassi. According to assistant manager Zoumana Camara, via L’Equipe, the decision was strictly precautionary.
Pubis pour Thiago Silva « mais ça va » selon lui. Juste des crampes pour Abdou Diallo #LOSCPSG
— Loïc Tanzi (@Tanziloic) January 26, 2020
Abdou Diallo, who started for the already injured Juan Bernat, was taken off in the 76th minute due to cramps as confirmed by Tuchel via Le Parisien.
This is devastating news for the simple fact that PSG is already without Marquinhos for three weeks due to a hamstring injury. When the Brazilian initially went down against Stade de Reims, Tuchel said that “it is not too serious” so you’ll forgive me for not believing his initial assessment of Silva and Diallo.
If those two players are out for an extended length of time, it could be devastating for PSG. Marquinhos is already pushing his luck to be back in time for the Champions League match against Dortmund. Thiago Silva has been in great form this season and Diallo is a versatile defender who can step in at center-back and left-back.
Without those players, Tuchel may be forced to go with a back four of Juan Bernat (or Mattia De Sciglio if the Layvin Kurzawa swap deal goes through), Presnel Kimpembe, Tanguy Kouassi, and Thomas Meunier. With Dortmund’s powerful attack featuring in-form Erling Haaland.
Up next for PSG is a Round of 16 Coupe de France match against Pau FC (National) on Wednesday. That is a perfect opportunity to give some of the regular starters a rest and avoid further injuries.
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