PSG VS Reims Live Football Score 08 October 2022

PSG VS Reims Live Football Score 08 October 2022

Paris Saint-Germain will look to register their first win in three competitive matches when they host Reims at Parc des Princes on Saturday. PSG’s opponents ended last weekend in the bottom four, separated from safety because of goal difference, and having won just once all season. That was a 4-2 victory away at Angers SCO on the last day of August, since when they have drawn two and lost two of four outings.

Last weekend Reims drew 2-2 away at ESTAC Troyes in the Champagne country derby, twice throwing away a lead at the Stade de l’Aube. Folarin Bolagun netted his sixth goal since arriving on loan from Arsenal while Junya Ito was also on target, but the Japanese international and club record signing was later sent off. He will therefore miss two games, including this one, due to suspension as a result. Heading into this weekend’s ninth round of matches in Ligue 1, Carlo Ancelotti’s side find themselves second in the table with 16 points, just three points behind leaders and bitter rivals Marseille.

Just before the two-week international break, PSG drew 2-2 with L’OM away from home to recover from their 1-0 away defeat to Porto in the Champions League, their only loss of 2012-13 so far. Reims too have started the season on a positive note, placing themselves in fifth position in the table with 14 points, just two behind PSG. Hubert Fournier’s side, who gained promotion to the French top flight at the end of last season, lost their opening two matches but are now unbeaten in six. If Messi’s first season in Paris was underwhelming in terms of goals scored, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner appears determined to make up for that in this campaign. His magnificent strike against Benfica in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday was just the latest example.

Messi has eight goals in 13 appearances this season, and has found the net with key goals in each of his club’s last four outings. The most recent example was that breathtaking hit that secured a 1-1 draw with Benfica in Lisbon, while last weekend his direct free-kick put the Parisians ahead at the Parc des Princes against OGC Nice in a game they went on to win 2-1.

Just before last month’s international break it was Messi who netted the equaliser as PSG came from behind to win 3-1 away to Maccabi Haifa in Israel, and the Argentine then struck the only goal in the 1-0 victory at Olympique Lyonnais. He then departed on international duty and scored braces in each of his country’s friendly wins over Honduras and Jamaica.

So will Messi keep up his current form at the Stade Auguste Delaune? Or will coach Christophe Galtier choose to give the 35-year-old a rest before a key return meeting with Benfica in Paris on Tuesday? Just like he did last weekend in leaving Kylian Mbappé on the bench at kick-off against Nice. Mbappé then came on and scored PSG’s late winner to join Neymar Jr on eight goals at the top of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats scoring charts.

The man who replaced Mbappé in the line-up against Nice was Hugo Ekitiké, with the 20-year-old starting for the first time since joining PSG on loan in the close season for Reims, where he broke through in such remarkable fashion. However, it is Pablo Sarabia who has come on to replace Messi late in each of the last two matches.

“Leo was tired. He signalled to us before coming off, but he’s ok,” said Galtier of the decision to withdraw Messi against Benfica. The coach also admitted that left-back Nuno Mendes faces a spell on the sidelines, adding: “Nuno has a big muscular problem. He will be out for a few matches.”

That means Juan Bernat should start in Champagne country as PSG look to stay clear at the top of the table and maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign. Presnel Kimpembe is still on the sidelines with a hamstring injury while Renato Sanches missed the midweek game against his old club Benfica after having to come off against Nice not long after coming on as a substitute.

Paris Saint-Germain take on Stade de Reims in Ligue 1 on Saturday with Lionel Messi out after being substituted in the 1-1 UEFA Champions League draw with SL Benfica on Wednesday. The Argentine scored a superb effort for Les Parisiens which keeps Christophe Galtier’s men leading the way with the Portuguese in Group H. Messi made his PSG debut in Reims last season but will have a watching brief here due to a calf issue: “There will be changes,” announced Galtier on Friday. “We will travel by bus as it is close to home. Lionel Messi will not be with us in Reims, but he will train again come Sunday. Kylian Mbappe has a throat issue, but will travel.”

Reims: Oscar Garcia’s men have had a tough start to the campaign and sit in the enlarged relegation zone with seven points from nine games. They are on a four-game winless run and a 4-2 success away at Angers SCO was their only victory of this term so far. Folarin Balogun is arguably the brightest spot in a dark season so far with six goals from nine appearances for the Arsenal loanee. Garcia himself will not lead the team against PSG as he is in Barcelona due to a family medical emergency.

PSG: The titleholders remain unbeaten after their draw with Benfica and last weekend’s win over OGC Nice maintained their two-point lead ahead of Olympique de Marseille in second. With the Portuguese again and OM to come next week, this is a pivotal run in Les Parisiens’ early season, and they cannot afford to drop points unexpectedly. By the end of next weekend, we should know much more about PSG’s campaign so far and how well set they are to maintain their challenge for silverware on all fronts. An updated on Messi’s fitness is due on Sunday.

“Nuno Mendes and Lionel Messi are absent which will give players like Juan Bernat a chance to play,” explained Galtier. “Kylian was already a bit under the weather before Benfica. We will see if Hugo Ekitike starts as he is our second top strike. He knows Reims and his former teammates and stadium.”

PSG has by far the best attack in Ligue 1, maybe even European football. They have accumulated 28 goals in only nine matches this season, and there are not many teams out there who can follow their rhythm. Reims is certainly not one of them. The last time Reims scored a goal against PSG was back in 2019, it was the beginning of the season, and Reims shocked the Parisiens on their home turf 2-0. But, since then PSG is dominating with five straight victories, including one in the French Cup with a total goal difference of 15-0. Considering that Reims only has nine goals this season, and PSG has the best defense, it is going to be extremely hard for the host to score a goal.