Make Paris great again
PSG ready to take French title back from Monaco
PaRiS: Paris St-Germain will reclaim the French title if they beat reigning champions and current second-placed side Monaco at the Parc des Princes in Ligue 1.
The Qatar-backed Parisians lead Monaco by 14 points with six games to go, meaning they are on the brink of a fifth title in six seasons, despite having to cope without the injured Neymar for more than a month.
The Brazilian has been in his home country recovering from a foot operation and PSG are hoping to have him back before the end of the season.
“I still need a month to make a full recovery,” Neymar told Brazilian television on Friday.
But they should be champions well before any possible return date for the world’s most expensive player, and beating Monaco today would be the perfect way to seal the deal.
It would come a year after the side from the principality finished eight points clear of PSG at the summit in a campaign which also saw them reach the Champions League semi-finals.
“Knowing that we can be champions at home, against our main rivals this season and the team that kidnapped the title from us last season, is an exciting moment,” defender Marquinhos told PSG TV.
PSG’s campaign has been overshadowed by their defeat against Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League, but they are on course for a clean sweep of the domestic trophies.
Unai Emery’s side have a 100% home record and if they can keep that up they will be able to celebrate the seventh title in their history on Sunday.
PSG have won their last five meetings with Leonardo Jardim’s side too, including a 3-0 victory in the recent League Cup final, when Kylian Mbappe ran his old club ragged.
The 19-year-old will make his loan move permanent in a US$222mil (RM860mil) deal at the end of this season, when PSG will hope to spend big again to rebuild for another assault on Europe.
PSG have two key doubts with midfield general Marco Verratti injured groin while striker Kylian Mbappe is sick.
“Marco is working with the doctor, we don’t want a relapse and Kylian didn’t train yesterday with a bad stomach,” coach Unai Emery said on Friday, who is touted to leave at the end of the season.
In the meantime, Emery has the chance to bow out of Paris with a league title, although they will not be taking the Monaco of Radamel Falcao and the in-form Rony Lopes lightly.
“Of course, we have a lot of respect for them, but we will be at home and to have the chance to be champions again, against the reigning champions, is exciting for us, and especially for the supporters,” Thiago Motta told PSG TV.
Beneath the top two Lyon and Marseille are locked, level on points, in a fierce battle for third place and the final Champions League qualifying berth.
Lyon, with Memphis Depay in superb form, have recovered from a sticky patch and sit ahead of Marseille on goal difference.
Lyon host Amiens while Marseille travel to struggling Troyes. — AFP