What: French Ligue 1
Who: Saint-Etienne vs Paris Saint-Germain
When: Wednesday 21st December, 2011, at 20.00 UK Time
Where: Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint Etienne, France
Galtier’s Men Full of Confidence
The only team to have beaten Les Verts in the last three months have been local rivals Lyon, and Saint-Etienne go into this clash full of confidence. One defeat in 12 in the league has lifted the side into fifth place and Christophe Galtier’s men look in impressive form. It is a far cry from the seven games they went without a win between August and September.
Key to Saint-Etienne’s good form is the striking prowess shown by the team’s forwards, who have made up for a slow start by banging the goals in lately. Former Liverpool forward Florent Sinama-Pongolle has struck three times in the last five games, whilst Pierre Aubameyang has six so far this season.
Galtier says that his team has “a lot of competition for places” and that they will look to “carry on this good run against PSG on Wednesday.” A win would keep Les Verts at the head of the pack of teams chasing the top four and the front of the queue for a Europa League spot next season.
PSG Look to End Year on High
The Parisians have lost their way slightly of late after a storming start to the season, and stalemate at home to Lille on Sunday meant that the capital club remain second, behind Montpellier. A trip to in-form Saint-Etienne is hardly what Antoine Kombouare would have asked for going into the last game before the winter break, and the coach admitted that he thought his team had the clash against Les Verts on their minds after the Lille draw. PSG have won only once at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard since the turn of the century, highlighting just what a difficult ground Saint-Etienne’s home is to get a result at.
The striking options at PSG’s disposal remain fearsome though, and Kevin Gameiro is capable of punishing the best of Ligue 1 defences. With Javier Pastore’s creative talents still shining brightly, even if not quite as imperiously as at the start of the season, Les Verts will be kept on their feet by his quick thinking.
Mamadou Sakho could be missing after being injured in the build-up to the Lille clash and Zoumana Camara will be tasked with marshalling a defence which has appeared leaky at times. Fellow centre-back Marcos Ceara is determined to help the team finish the calendar year at the top of Ligue 1 with a win, but PSG will do so with continuing uncertainty hanging over the future of their manager. Kombouare’s position is on a seemingly permanent knife-edge despite his impressive record, and a poor result near the Rhone could lead to the club taking the plunge and finally deciding to let him go.
Recent form
Saint-Etienne:
Dijon 1-2 Saint-Etienne
(17/12; Ligue 1)
Saint-Etienne 2-0 Caen
(10/12; Ligue 1)
Brest 2-2 Saint-Etienne (3/12; Ligue 1)
Paris Saint-Germain:
Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Lille
(18/12; Ligue 1)
Paris Saint-Germain 4-2 Athletic Bilbao (14/12; Europa League)
Sochaux 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain (10/12; Ligue 1)
Key absences
Saint-Etienne: Josuha Guilavogui; Paulao
Paris Saint-Germain: Blaise Matuidi; Mamadou Sakho (doubt); Diego Lugano (doubt)
Players to watch
Saint-Etienne – Jeremy Clement: Saint-Etienne will need their ever-present midfielder to show his best form against PSG to deny the likes of Jeremy Menez, Pastore and Nene time on the ball. Clement has been key as Les Verts have stormed up the table and shown that there is life after Blaise Matuidi, who left Galtier’s side in the summer to join the Parisians. Luckily for Galtier, and Clement, they will not have to face Matuidi on here, and if he can win his midfield duel against Pastore, Saint-Etienne will have scored a potentially decisive victory.
Paris Saint-Germain – Jeremy Menez: A lack of width has been an issue in recent weeks for PSG as they have struggled to break down solid defences in big games against Lille and Marseille. With Menez now back from injury, Kombouare will hope that the former Roma man can get back to form quickly and provide the width and creativity from wide positions to ensure that responsibility for creating chances for Gameiro does not fall solely to the tricky Argentine Pastore.
Match Prediction
Saint-Etienne may be in fine form, but they have not beaten a top four team this season and PSG will be determined to finish the year on a high. Kombouare’s men have had 24 hours less to recover from their weekend game, but they will be desperate to be able to enjoy Christmas at the head of Ligue 1 if possible. Much will depend for Les Verts on the form of their lethal forwards Pongolle and Aubameyang. With Sakho possibly out and Diego Lugano still not fully fit, the visiting defence will be susceptible and they have shown that they can be stretched this season.
Galtier will be confident his team will score, but defensively he will be keen to ensure they shut their visitors out too. Saint-Etienne were defeated 3-1 by Lille at the start of the season, and the Parisians’ passing is on a par with that of the champions. The ability of the likes of Menez and Pastore can test the home side and ensure that PSG keep up the pressure on Montpellier by winning a thriller. Saint-Etienne 2-3 Paris Saint-Germain.
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