Les Parisiens head to Corsica this Saturday to take on 12th placed SC Bastia at Stade Armand Cesari, in their next game of the 2012/2013 Ligue 1 campaign
The cash-laden club from Paris has finally found the winning formula with back-to-back Ligue 1 victories, quickly followed by Tuesday’s 4-1 demolition of Dynamo Kiev on their return to the Champions League.
The Parisiens are still unbeaten in the league, and I Turchini can expect their toughest test of the season as they prepare to host Carlo Ancelotti’ side.
And after finally hitting top gear, the coach would not accept anything but all three points from the game against the newly-promoted side on Saturday.
Bastia, on the other hand, would want to make life hard for the visitors and expect the hosts to sit back and play defensively against a team, that has world class attacking players in their ranks.
I Turchini coach, Frederic Hantz would be hoping to stop http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Zlatan-Ibrahimovic-c38029 from scoring, who is the Ligue 1 top scorer at the moment.
"You could say that the display was one of a newly-promoted side in a difficult situation following two successive defeats. We've now lost three. Our game has gone to pieces, because the boys are no longer making the mental effort required. At this level,
when you make chances and don't take them, you get punished. We're learning how to cope with life in Ligue 1,” the coach told reporters in a pre-match press conference.
History
There have been 24 top-flight meetings between the two sides, with SC Bastia triumphing on ten occasions and Paris Saint-Germain winning nine of those encounters.
In the last Ligue 1 meeting between the pair, the Parisiens emerged victorious with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over I Lioni di Furiani, in Week 9 of the 2004/2005 season.
Paris Saint-Germain have won four times on their last six visits, losing just once. Bastia’s last win over their Saturday opponents came in 2002/2003 season.
Team News
SC Bastia
Frederic Hantz has no new injury worries and has a full squad available.
Ilan is available after completing his two-match suspension incurred by his red card against Stade Rennais.
Paris Siant-Germain
Unlike Bastia, Les Parisiens have a lot of injury troubles to deal with.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ezequiel-Lavezzi-c13073 has been included in the squad but is likely to start from the bench.
Summer arrival from AC Milan, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Thiago-Silva-c34903 is in contention for his first Ligue 1 start after impressing in PSG’s midweek clash against Dynamo Kiev.
Expected Line-ups
SC Bastia
Novaes, Choplin, Mary, Marchal, Harek, Cahuzac, Rothen, Maoulida, Thauvin, Palmieri, Modeste
Paris Saint-Germain
Sirigu, Van der Wiel, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Maxwell-c25051, Verratti, Matuidi, Chantome, Nene, Menez, Ibrahimovic
Prediction
SC Bastia won their opening two games of the season following their return to the top flight. However, after that things haven’t looked well for the Ligue 1 outfit with three consecutive losses.
Paris Saint-Germain, on the other hand, are in form of their life with three back-to-back wins. Good news for the Ligue 1 heavy spenders is the form of their star striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has already scored five times in the league for his new club.
Les Parisiens are strong favourite to get away with all three points and expect PSG to play an attacking and aggressive game on Saturday.
Final Predicted Score: SC Bastia 0-4 Paris Saint-Germain
Tags: