Lyonnais vs Paris Saint-Germain - Paris St Germain braced for testing trip to Lyon

Posted Saturday, January 20, 2018 by PA

Coach Unai Emery and captain Marquinhos are expecting a tough test when Paris St Germain travel to Lyon in Ligue 1 on Sunday.

The runaway leaders face opposition who will be looking to reclaim second place from Marseille and who were only beaten at the Parc des Princes in September after two own goals in the final quarter-hour.

PSG go into the game on the back of an 8-0 thumping of Dijon but Emery is under no illusions that this weekend presents a different challenge.

He told the club’s website: “Against Dijon, the team stayed focused for 90 minutes.

“Like the (1-0 win) against Nantes, it will be difficult at Lyon. Lyon are a big team.

“The stadium will be full and they will want to beat us. Every match we play is special for our opponents.”

Brazil defender Marquinhos added: “Lyon are a good young team and they will come to play.

“Each time we play Lyon they are good football matches. We often have difficulties there, there is a good atmosphere and the team have their rhythm.

“It will not be an easy match. We will have to attack the match with 100 per cent concentration.”

PSG lead Ligue 1 by nine points with Marseille having already played, and Lyon coach Bruno Genesio accepts the title is out of reach already, but is approaching the game with an ‘any given Sunday’ mentality.

“They are untouchable over 38 games,” he told his club’s website. “I can’t see how they can not be champions.

“In one match, anything is possible and we can worry them. They lost (2-1) at Strasbourg and were pushed hard at Dijon (winning only 2-1 in October) and Nantes.

“We need to play with 12, with our public to lift us.”

Reflecting on the teams’ previous meeting this season, he added: “We succeeded in stopping them playing. We had a good defensive plan to force them to play out wide.

“But most importantly we were able to clear the ball and play our game. I think against this team, if you content yourself with just defending, you will concede.”

Thiago Motta is PSG’s only injury concern while Lyon are at full strength, with forward Mariano Diaz fit to continue after returning from injury with 81 minutes against Guingamp.