PSG likely lineup v Montpellier: Neymar misses out as Hugo Ekitike leads the line | OneFootball

The league leaders will be hoping to put their shaky start to the new year behind them as they travel to Montpellier for tonight’s midweek round of fixtures – their away form in particular a source of concern after defeats at European challengers Lens and Rennes.

Christophe Galtier’s squad will be without Neymar, the scorer in Sunday’s draw against Reims, with the Brazilian suffering from a muscular fatigue which had kept him out of yesterday’s training session. Hugo Ekitike takes up his spot in the frontline – the French striker now effectively the club’s only option to replace the front three after Pablo Sarabia’s departure and the collapse of Hakim Ziyech’s move from Chelsea.

PSG will feel the absence of Marco Verratti – the Italian changed the game in the favour for the ten minutes he was on the pitch this weekend, before he was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Junya Ito. As a result, it’s Fabián Ruiz, Vitinha and Renato Sanches who line up from the start. Galtier has called on his team to muster up more rigour and individual efforts, ahead of the team’s Champions League tie against Bayern Munich – now would be a good time to start. Montpellier, fresh from a 2-0 win over Auxerre thanks to a Stephy Mavididi double, are set to line up with a five-man backline, with captain Téji Savanier leading the midfield trio.

Paris Saint-Germain predicted XI v Montpellier:

Gianluigi Donnarumma – Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Danilo Pereira, Nuno Mendes – Fabián Ruiz, Renato Sanches, Vitinha – Lionel Messi, Hugo Ekitiké, Kylian Mbappé. (L’Éq)

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin