Paris Saint-Germain are away at AC Ajaccio on Friday with a three-point lead in Ligue 1 heading into the weekend. Last Sunday's 1-0 victory over Olympique de Marseille in Le Classique was a first win after a run of three consecutive draws, but Christophe Galtier's men are looking good overall with nine wins from a possible 11. Neymar, who has been in Barcelona this week to make court appearances, will not be with PSG in Ajaccio as he is suspended along with Sergio Ramos. The hosts also beat OM recently but are still in the relegation zone coming into this one.
"Ajaccio are a well organized team," said Galtier ahead of the match. "They won at Stade Velodrome and they are on a good run. The stadium will be full and the atmosphere will be hot with the fans close to the pitch. We must be up to the task and not already thinking ahead to Tuesday's game. We must put in a complete performance to maintain the gap we currently have."
The Parisian squad for #ACAPSG! 📋🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/eW0f5ROYuj
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) October 20, 2022
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Here are our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Friday, Oct. 21 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Stade Francois Coty -- Ajaccio (Corsica), France
- TV: beIN Sports USA | Stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
- Odds: ACA +1100; Draw +480; PSG -400 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Ajaccio: This was always going to be a season battling against the odds to stay in Ligue 1 and it has proved that so far. However, two wins and a draw from their last four matches has given Olivier Pantaloni's men hope. The arrival of Youcef Belaili on a free transfer after his time with Stade Brestois 29 has also given the Corsicans a fresh injection of quality. Ajaccio will not be banking on points against the likes of PSG to survive this campaign, but anything that they can take here will be a bonus.
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PSG: Just two wins from their last five appearances is not particularly impressive, but Les Parisiens won seven straight games across all competitions up until that run of three draws. Galtier will be relieved that last week's drama surrounding Kylian Mbappe has died down since the French superstar's declaration on Sunday that he is not angry with the club. However, Neymar has been in court in Barcelona this week and was expected to give further testimony the morning of the clash with Ajaccio.
On top of Neymar and Ramos' suspensions, Nuno Mendes, Danilo Pereira, and Presnel Kimpembe remain out and Vitinha has been a doubt this week. Regardless, there will be a familiar face at Stade Francois Coty: "This will be special," said Galtier of the fact that his son Jordan is assistant to opposite number Pantaloni. "It is the first time that this has happened. Jordan is growing up. I want him to have his own journey, to do his own analysis and to be independent. Of course, there is a sense of pride -- this is a big life moment.
"It will be a special moment for a father to see one of his boys on a Ligue 1 bench next to him. I think it will be a special moment. Jordan is a boy with a passion for soccer who did not have the career which he thought he might have had. We talk about it often in our family. His references are not just me as his father. I do not know if he will become a head coach or if he will one day be part of my staff."
Prediction
Traveling to the island is never straightforward for any Ligue 1 side, but the men from the capital should be able to come away with the points despite a few challenging personnel issues. The defense will notably be weaker, but the home team are not exactly blessed with an attack to punish the likes of PSG. Expect the champions to do the job without excelling. Pick: Ajaccio 0-3 PSG.
