Lorient vs Paris St Germain - Paris St Germain travel to Lorient for first match since Paris attacks
Posted Sunday, November 22, 2015 by PA
Paris St Germain will on Saturday play a Ligue 1 match for the first time since the terrorists attack on November 13 that killed 129 people in the French capital.
The Ligue 1 leaders visit Lorient and the French national anthem will be played at the Stade Le Moustoir before the encounter, while a minute of silence will also be observed.
PSG's players will wear shirts with the motto 'Je suis Paris' underneath the club logo as a tribute to the victims.
The players in the squad of the defending French champions are still in shock.
"I knew two people that died," PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu said to Gazzetta dello Sport. "It's difficult to accept, but life goes on and there are others we need to console.
"But we need to keep doing what we do every day, trying to help those that have been affected."
PSG are unbeaten in the domestic competition and looking for their eighth consecutive league win.
Laurent Blanc's men thrashed Tolouse, 5-0, in their previous game to go 10 points clear of second-place Lyon after 13 games played.
Les Parisiens are also on the right track in the Champions League and a win at Malmo on Wednesday will see them join Group A leaders Real Madrid in the Round of 16.
Lorient, seventh in the standings, have lost just once at home and are unbeaten since September 7 when they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Montpellier.
They beat Troyes 4-1 at home last time out, with Benjamin Moukandjo scoring twice in that game, for their fifth league win and they know the huge task that awaits them this weekend.
"This is a special match and a great challenge for us," Lorient goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte said on his club's official website.
"PSG is the top team in the competition and they are on a roll. It's a huge task but I think we can meet it."
Lecomte knows his team will need to be at their very best with PSG boasting the best attack and defensive line in the competition, with 31 goals scored and just six given away.
"We need to showcase our talent," he said. "We cannot wait for them to hit us, that is not in our DNA.
"We will try to impose our play from the start."
Lorient, coached by Sylvain Ripoll, will have to keep a close eye on PSG star Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The Swede is the league's top scorer with nine goals.
He goes into the contest having led his country to qualification for next year's European Championship, which is to be hosted by France.
Ibrahimovic scored both goals in a 2-2 draw in Denmark on Tuesday to give his side a 4-3 aggregate win in the Euro 2016 play-off tie.
PSG are hoping to recover midfielder Javier Pastore, who is doubtful with a muscular problem.
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