Overview
Girona is having a not-so-smooth start to the new 2024-2025 season. After the first 5 matches in La Liga, Girona has only had 2 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw. Girona scored a total of 8 goals during that time but also conceded 8. With a busy schedule approaching, Girona need to quickly regain the form that helped them finish third in La Liga last season.
However, having to travel to PSG's home ground on the opening day of the 2024-2025 Champions League will be an extremely difficult challenge for Girona. Not only are they inferior in terms of form, the La Liga team is also inferior to their opponents in terms of experience in the European playground.
Meanwhile, PSG are still going through a pretty good early period in the post-Kylian Mbappe era. The French capital team won all 4 matches at the beginning of the Ligue 1 season and scored 16 goals. Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele each have scored four goals.
In the coming time, PSG will certainly face many difficulties when facing life without Mbappe. However, winning all 3 points against Girona will be a goal within reach of coach Luis Enrique's team.
At home, PSG are in good form. They have won all 2 matches since the beginning of the season and scored 3 or more goals even without Mbappe. In contrast, in their last three away games this season, Girona have lost to highly rated opponents and won just 2-0 against a struggling Sevilla side.
PSG's home games at the Parc des Princes are often quite exciting, with 5/10 of their most recent matches having more than 2 goals.
Personnel situation
PSG's trio of Goncalo Ramos, Presnel Kimpembe and Lucas Hernandez are all still absent for a long time due to injury. Meanwhile, first-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was also ruled out due to a thigh injury in the win over Brest. Summer signing Matvey Safonov is likely to make his PSG debut.
Midfielders Warren Zaire-Emery and Vitinha are both doubtful to play. This means Lee Kang-in, Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves are likely to start in midfield for the home team.
On the other side of the front line, Ricard Artero and Jastin are still sidelined due to injuries, while Yangel Herrera missed the loss to Barcelona due to muscle problems.
Oriol Romeu will not participate in the match against his former club Barcelona and can return to PSG, along with Ivan Martin and Jhon Solis in midfield.
Expected lineup:
PSG: Safonov, Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes, Lee Kang-in, Ruiz, Neves, Dembele, Kolo Muani, Barcola.
Girona: Gazzaniga, Frances, Lopez, Blind, Gutierrez, Martin, Romeu, Solis, Tsygankov, Ruiz, Danjuma.
The match between PSG and Girona takes place at 2:00 am on September 19 (Vietnam time).
