Reims vs PSG

Reims face Paris Saint-Germain at Stade Auguste Delaune during the round five Ligue 1 match on Saturday.

Currently, the Parisians are favourites to maintain their perfect score at the start of the 2024-25 season, However, some of their previous games against this weekend ‘s opponents have not been very rosy.

While Reims struggled a bit to get off the new Ligue 1 campaign, Luka Elsner boys have picked seven points from three matches, making them position in the sixth of the inaugural season’s table.

The 42-year-old signed for the club from Le Havre in the summer after taking the team he steered into the Ligue 1 after a 14-year hiatus away from top tier football and has had a decent to good start with the Red and Whites.

They started with a 2-0 loss at home in round one, but have then upped their game to produce an entertaining 2-2 draw with Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille as well as beating Rennes 2-1 and Nantes.

Without doubt essential to maintaining Reims’ current form is their goalscoring prowess which they have displayed with the scoring of two goals in the last three matches although they are yet to register a clean sheet as they approach the fifth fixture.

Elsner’s men have trailed in all the Ligue 1 games this season, which is not good news if they want to deny PSG of victory in their fourth successive matches out of the last five battles.

However, getting the better of this weekend’s opponents in 2023-24, Luis Enrique did loose to Reims in year one, the third time the defending Ligue 1 champions have fallen in the last four meetings between the sides.

The current run — one victory in four against Reims — has followed a spell of five successive PSG victories over Les Rouges et Blancs where the capital club scored 15 times in all competitions without reply.

Since then, Les Parisiens have only managed two draws on home field and one in Reims; nevertheless, the sole victory during that time came on Saturday at the same location with a 3-0 victory fueled by Kylian Mbappe.

Since the Frenchman has joined Real Madrid, Enrique's team has to find alternative game-winners for crucial games like this one on Saturday in order to defeat any Ligue 1 opponents and fulfill their dream of qualifying for the Champions League.

With a potential hamstring injury that might keep the Spaniard out this weekend, Marco Asensio left the game early in the first half of the French giants' Champions League encounter against Girona. He now joins Presnel Kimpembe (Achilles), Lucas Hernandez (knee), and Goncalo Ramos (ankle) on the sidelines.

Due to an injury he acquired last weekend versus Brest, Gianluigi Donnarumma (thigh) missed practice on Wednesday. He is questionable for Saturday.

Bradley Barcola (four goals) and Ousmane Dembele (three goals) should start from the outset wide, maybe flanking Randal Kolo Muani up top, despite their lackluster showing in Europe.

The season has gone flawlessly, with PSG securing the maximum number of points after four games, scoring sixteen goals and allowing only three before taking on opponents in sixth position.

In Wednesday's Champions League play against Girona, Mendes unintentionally maintained the French team's 100% record with a late winner. The capital club now hopes to record another victory to maintain their perfect record.

Reims has surprised PSG three times in their past four games, holding the champs. Despite how unlikely it may seem, they'll want to perform better this time.

Although the sides' most recent meeting resulted in a 2-2 draw, Reims will be optimistic of surprising their guests after going three games without a loss. Reims won 2-1 away at Nantes with to goals from Marshall Munetsi and Keito Nakamura, capping their comeback.

They are now unbeaten in three games and are getting ready for a major matchup.

Following their Champions League victory at home, PSG will return to their native country. Girona was defeated on Tuesday by PSG thanks to a late own goal by Paulo Gazzaniga.