Cyrille de la Morinerie, edited by Gauthier Delomez / Photo credits: JEAN CATUFFE / DPPI via AFP
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08:39, April 21, 2024
Four days after their success in Barcelona (4-1) and their qualification for the semi-finals of the Champions League, the PSG players return to Ligue 1. The Parisians host Olympique Lyonnais at the Parc des Princes for one of the large posters of the championship. A match, on paper, unbalanced, even if Lyon is regaining momentum in recent weeks.
PSG-Lyon is a preview of the Coupe de France final scheduled for May 25 in Lille. The two teams, which are in good shape, first face each other in Ligue 1 this Sunday evening, four days after the Parisians qualified for the semi-final of the Champions League at the expense of FC Barcelona.
Lyon, for its part, continues its exceptional rise in the rankings and is getting closer to the Top 5. The Lyonnais beat Brest last Sunday (4-3) in a crazy match. The Rhone residents will be able to count on their prolific striker Alexandre Lacazette, 18 goals in total this season, who is slightly injured and has returned to training.
“The challenge will be very high but so is our ambition,” insists Lyon coach Pierre Sage
But the task promises to be very complex for Olympique Lyonnais at the Parc des Princes because the stars of PSG will want to ride on their qualification for the semi-final of the Champions League, the coach analyzed last Friday at a press conference. Pierre Sage from Lyon. “For me, this will have a positive effect for them. They proved this week that they are a very high-level opponent on the European scene. So the challenge will be high but so is our ambition”, promises the coach. During the first leg last September, the Parisians won without batting an eyelid on the pitch at Parc OL (4-1).
Marquinhos celebrated this Sunday evening at the Parc des Princes
Paris, which outrageously dominates Ligue 1 (10 points more than its runner-up, Brest), hopes to quickly win the championship to concentrate on the Champions League and the Coupe de France. In the meantime, Paris will pay tribute to its valiant captain: defender Marquinhos has become PSG’s most capped player. The Brazilian will play his 438th match this Sunday evening with the capital club and will receive a special jersey for the occasion.