Kylian Mbappe and Neymar are expected to play for leaders Paris Saint-German on Wednesday, 45 days after their Ligue 1 season was suspended for the World Cup, in a home match against struggling Strasbourg. Normal service is expected to resume in France on Wednesday.
However, Lionel Messi will not be present in round 16 because he is still at home celebrating Argentina’s victory over Qatar in the World Cup final. However, reports last week that Messi, who will be 35 in August, will sign a one-year extension of his contract have buoyed the team.
Mbappe’s Magic
Mbappe, who scored a hat trick in the World Cup final but lost to France in the penalty shootout, returned to training on Wednesday with Achraf Hakimi, one of Morocco’s standout players who helped the team advance to the semifinals.
Only Mbappe, Messi, and Hakimi were among the 14 Ligue 1 players from eight different clubs who made it to the Qatar semi-finals.
Neymar, whose Brazil crashed out to Croatia in the quarter-finals, was back on Thursday with countryman Marquinhos, with both expected to assume a part in Wednesday’s down at the Parc des Rulers.
Ligue 1 player shines in fIFA
PSG is currently five points ahead of Lens, who is in second place and plays PSG on Sunday in Flanders.
Lens, on the other hand, will try to keep PSG under pressure when they travel to Nice on Thursday.
As they travel to Reims on Thursday, third-placed Rennes will be joined by Lovro Majer, a Croatian, and Joe Rodon, a Wales defender on loan, who are both back from Qatar.
“For my purposes, a subsequent season’s firing up once more, with similar vulnerabilities, similar questions before a first association match of the time,” said Rennes chief Bruno Genesio. ” We’ll see which teams have handled this the best.”
A Toulouse team that is bouncing around in the middle of the table will play Marseille, who are just one point behind fourth place.
‘Great boy’ Tagliafico
Ligue 1’s “great boy” Tagliafico Messi isn’t the only World Cup winner; Nicolas Tagliafico has also been enjoying his time in the sun, but he won’t be with Lyon on Wednesday when they travel to Brest.
“I take the opportunity to congratulate Tagliafico, who has become world champion,” said Lyon coach Laurent Blanc, who took over in October after Peter Bosz was fired following a five-match losing streak.
“I hope he returns in good health. Being a world champion is not a free pass. May he quickly return.”
Blanc insisted that Lyon will need to be busy in the January transfer window if they are to compete, given that they are currently eighth in the table and 10
He stated on Monday, “We must enhance the team.” I have no demands whatsoever. I’m telling my owners and directors that we need to improve the team if we want to reach our goals. That’s it.
As bottom side Anger, three points behind Strasbourg travel to Ajaccio, which is only four points and two places above them, there will also be an eye on the relegation zone.
DETAILS:
Ajaccio vs. Anger on Wednesday (1400 GMT unless otherwise noted), Troyes vs. Nantes, Auxerre vs. Monaco (1600 GMT), Clermont vs. Lille (1800 GMT), Brest vs. Lyon, and Paris Saint-Germain vs. Strasbourg (both 2000 GMT)
Thursday (2000 GMT unless stated)
Lorient vs. Montpellier (1600 GMT unless otherwise noted), Reims vs. Rennes (1800 GMT), Marseille vs. Toulouse,