Alright, football fans, buckle up! Ligue 1 champs Paris Saint-Germain are kicking off their season against Nantes at the Stade de la Beaujoire this Sunday night, and it’s shaping up to be a cracker.
Fresh off their midweek Super Cup triumph, where they edged out Tottenham Hotspur in a dramatic penalty shootout, PSG are ready to roll. The quadruple winners added another shiny trophy to their collection, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. After a sluggish start—looking a bit rusty from their late return to pre-season training post-Club World Cup—they found themselves 2-0 down to the Europa League champs. But, true to form, Luis Enrique’s squad flipped the script with two late goals to force penalties and clinch the first European silverware of the season.
PSG are now gunning for a fifth straight Ligue 1 title, a feat they’ve never achieved before. Last season, they dominated the league, finishing 19 points clear at the top, even if their focus shifted to the Champions League toward the end. That Super Cup win could be a sign of more glory to come, but their lack of pre-season prep might make things tricky early on, as seen in their shaky performance against Spurs. Still, their away form in Ligue 1 is unreal—just one loss in their last 41 road games. Talk about a fortress on the move!
Nantes, though, aren’t pushovers. Despite flirting with relegation last season, they managed to hold PSG to 1-1 draws in both their meetings, including a gritty performance at home in April, thanks to a late Douglas Augusto equalizer. But history isn’t on their side—Nantes have lost 10 of their last 13 home games against PSG and haven’t kept a clean sheet against them since 2006. Ouch. Plus, the Canaries have a habit of stumbling out of the gate, failing to win their opening match in any of the last eight seasons—the longest streak in Ligue 1.
New Nantes boss Luis Castro, who took over from former PSG manager Antoine Kombouare this summer, is looking to turn things around after a season where they barely avoided the drop by three points. Nantes have been busy in the transfer market, splashing nearly £30m from player sales on nine new faces, but they’re still a far cry from their days of European football.
On the PSG side, Joao Neves is sidelined, serving a suspension from a red card in the Club World Cup final. After a quiet showing against Spurs, Warren Zaire-Emery and Bradley Barcola might make way for Lee Kang-in and Fabian Ruiz, who turned heads off the bench. In goal, with Gianluigi Donnarumma’s days at PSG seemingly numbered, new signing Lucas Chevalier is set to take the reins again after his debut in the Super Cup.
Nantes, meanwhile, could be without their 11-goal striker Matthis Abline, who’s been left out amid transfer rumors. Their new loan signing, Swedish forward Mayckel Lahdo from AZ Alkmaar, is also doubtful with a thigh injury.
With PSG’s firepower and Nantes’ fresh faces, this clash promises drama. Will the champs keep their momentum, or can Nantes pull off an early upset? Tune in to find out!
