Paris Saint-Germain are hoping to move one step closer towards securing a place in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League when they take on RB Leipzig on Tuesday. It is going to be a vital encounter in Group A, especially for Leipzig, who have lost both their matches so far whereas Mauricio Pochettino’s men are hoping to retain their place at the top with another win.
Predicted PSG Lineup Vs RB Leipzig
Defence
Pochettino is still missing out on the services of summer signing Sergio Ramos, as he continues to struggle with injuries. He joins Keylor Navas in PSG’s list of defensive absentees.
On a bright note, however, Marquinhos should be back after missing the weekend clash against Angers. The Brazilian should replace Thilo Kehrer, thus renewing his central defensive partnership alongside Presnel Kimpembe.
Pochettino is likely to shuffle his pack in the fullback position as well, with Achraf Hakimi replacing Colin Dagba while Nuno Mendes should be given the nod at left-back, ahead of Abdou Diallo and the recently fit Juan Bernat.
Gianluigi Donnarumma remains a guaranteed starter in between the sticks as Navas deals with fitness issues heading into this contest.
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Midfield
Leandro Paredes is back in contention after missing the weekend encounter. However, the Argentine may have to settle for a place on the bench, alongside Gini Wijnaldum, as Pochettino looks to continue with the midfield trifecta of Marco Veratti, Idrissa Gueye and Ander Herrera.
The three offer excellent versatility in the middle of the park, though they will need to be at the top of their game against an intense pressing Leipzig team this midweek.
Attack
Neymar and Lionel Messi were the two notable absentees in PSG’s win over Angers this weekend. They are both expected to return for this game, slotting into the frontline alongside Kylian Mbappe.
Angel Di Maria is facing a suspension, which means Messi is most likely to operate on the right flank, with Mbappe starting down the middle and Neymar featuring on the opposite flank.
Mauro Icardi, Julian Draxler and Rafinha remain potential alternatives, should Pochettino opt to shuffle his pack a little or add more freshness in the attacking third.
