Paris Saint-Germain vs Guingamp
Competition: France − Trophée des Champions − 2014 − Final
Match date: 01 Aug 2014
Kick Off Time: 12:00 GMT
Competition: France − Trophée des Champions − 2014 − Final
Match date: 01 Aug 2014
Kick Off Time: 12:00 GMT
PSG get set to kick off competitive play for the 2014-2015 season and will see out their first official match this weekend in the Trophee des Champions against Guingamp. They qualified for the single-match final by claiming the 2013-2014 Ligue 1 title, finishing a comfortable 9 points above AS Monaco, thanks in large part to the 26 league goals that Swedish international Ibrahimovic
tallied up. The powerful hit-man is one of the best in the world at his
trade, and he proved so yet again last time out with a hat-trick in
their 6:2 friendly defeat of Hong Kong-based club Kitchee. The forward
is in ominous form, and Sweden’s exclusion from the 2014 World Cup has
him refreshed and raring to go for the new campaign. Young phenom Jean-Christophe Bahebeck
meanwhile has spent the last two seasons out on loan from the French
club, but after netting in every pre-season match thus far, manager Laurant Blanc has a welcome headache of a decision on his mind. The youngster very well could see the starting XI here for the cup match.
Guingamp fell to a disappointing yet relieving 16th place finish in Ligue 1
last season, barely staving off relegation by just 2 points. Solid home
form that saw them bag 28 of their 42 points ultimately saved them, as 6
vital points from 2 home matches in the late going proved critical to
their safety. However, for purposes of this contest, they were simply
woeful on the road, and while this match will be played in Beijing,
they still tend to play a lower quality of football outside the Stade
de Roudourou. While they did win 4 straight road games in last season’s Coupe de France,
they were all against lower level competition. That said, an impressive
victory over AS Monaco in the semi-finals in which leading goal scorer Mustapha Yatabare
netted two of their three goals demonstrated this side’s ability to
pull off an upset. However, that is a tough ask against a far and away
more talented roster in this weekend’s opponent from the French capital.
Probable lineups Paris Saint-Germain: Sirigu – Aurier, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, Digne – Thiago Motta, Cabaye, Matuidi – Lucas, Cavani, Ibrahimovic.
Probable lineups Guingamp: Samassa – Baca, Angoua, Sorbon, Lemaitre – Diallo, Sankhare – Beauvue, Marveaux – Yatabare, Schwartz.
