What: French Ligue 1
Who: Paris Saint-Germain vs Montpellier
When: Sunday 19th February, 2012, at 20:00 UK Time
Where: Parc des Princes, Paris, France
First Major Test for Ancelotti
Paris Saint-Germain won 3-0 against Montpellier at the Stade de la Mosson earlier this season, and with their talents on show, this should not be a contest. Yet it is, as PSG drew 0-0 with Nice last weekend to leave them just a point clear of the visitors. And since the pair’s last meeting, Javier Pastore has dramatically lost form, whilst Antoine Kombouare has departed the Parc des Princes. Though Carlo Ancelotti has picked up the baton and run well with it so far, this is the Italian’s first real test since joining the Qatari inspired revolution in Paris.
Ancelotti’s team have become more defensive than the one he took over, in part through necessity as Pastore has been out injured, but the Italian has selected more defensively minded players in his place. The ex-Chelsea boss realises too that his side will need to be more clinical after only scoring once in the last week, against Dijon on Wednesday night.
“We had chances but we didn’t take them and we really need to be more clinical,” Ancelotti said after the Dijon game. “We’ll need to be better against Montpellier. They’re a dangerous side."
What would help is if Kevin Gameiro, who started the season well after signing from Lorient, can rediscover his confidence. But the failed attempts to sign Alexandre Pato and Carlos Tevez could have had a negative impact on the striker. Ancelotti certainly seems to have ruffled feathers – Marcos Ceara has complained about being dropped since his arrival. But getting the best out of Gameiro is vital if Ancelotti is to get his wish for more goals.
No Sign of Letting Up
It was assumed the Parisians would be in the title charge at the start of the season, but few would have predicted Montpellier would be involved. La Pallaide scored fewer than anyone last season in Ligue 1 bar Arles Avignon, who were relegated without ever putting up a fight. This season, no one has scored more than Rene Girard’s men. And no one has scored more than Olivier Giroud, the league’s top scorer with 16 goals, who has attracted admiring looks from the likes of Bayern Munich and Arsenal.
A victory against Ajaccio at home last weekend moved Montpellier to within a point of PSG and they look strong and with no sign of being about to let up. The side survived the absence of Moroccan midfield ace Younes Belhanda whilst he was at the African Cup of Nations, and have now won seven in a row in all competitions, including their last four Ligue 1 games. It means that they have achieved the goal Girard set them at the end of January, to go to Paris “as calm as possible.”
And Giroud believes that his men have eliminated the “schoolboy errors” that they committed at home against PSG earlier this season, arguing they have a score to settle, and also suggesting that Ancelotti’s side are not a “team of champions yet.” If the rest of France are billing this as the title tussle between the two teams who can still win the league, Montpellier think it is just a one-horse race. For them, Europe is the goal and the Champions League would be exceeding their expectations. And so, as Giroud says, “all the pressure is on them, because we don’t have much to lose.”
Recent form
Paris Saint-Germain:
Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Evian Thonon Gaillard (04/02; Ligue 1)
Nice 0-0 Paris Saint-Germain
(12/02; Ligue 1)
Dijon 0–1 Paris Saint-Germain
(15/02; Coupe de France)
Montpellier:
Montpellier 1-0 Stade Brestois
(04/02; Ligue 1)
Chateauroux 0-2 Montpellier
(08/02; Coupe de France)
Montpellier 3-0 Ajaccio (11/02; Ligue 1)
Key absences
Paris Saint-Germain: Javier Pastore (doubt); Zoumana Camara
Montpellier: Vitorino Hilton
Players to watch
Paris Saint-Germain – Nene: The Brazilian had a quiet start to the season but is now in good form, scoring regularly and creating too. With 11 goals already, he is the team’s top scorer in all competitions and his trickery and skill will be key if Ancelotti’s side are to unlock Montpellier; particularly with Pastore only just returning from injury and Gameiro out of form.
Montpellier – Olivier Giroud: There is no doubt that Giroud is the man who Montpellier will rely upon in the capital. Belhanda and Remy Cabella have been the main creative forces driving Girard’s side forward, whilst a sturdy defensive unit gives them the solidity to win games without scoring more than once – something they have done four times in their last six matches. And more often than not it is Giroud whose name is on the scoresheet.
Match Prediction
Both teams are in good form and have pulled away from the pack, though there is little argument over who have had the easier run. This is Ancelotti’s first real test. So far, Paris Saint-Germain have been more defensive under the Italian, who will probably start with Thiago Motta and one of Mohamed Sissoko and Mathieu Bodmer in central midfield. He has even played three central midfielders on occasion, a switch from Kombouare’s system, where Pastore was flanked by Nene and Jeremy Menez. It is possible Ancelotti could go with Pastore and drop Gameiro for this match, though that would be a risky strategy as it would leave PSG without a recognised centre forward.
Montpellier have Belhanda back and in form and this game could turn into one of high attrition as La Pallaide tend to play with two or even three defensively minded central midfielders. Given Ancelotti’s move in that direction, and the likelihood that Girard will be happy with a point, the midfield battle will likely dominate, and it will come down to the few creative players on the pitch – Nene, Menez, Pastore if fit, Belhanda and Cabella – to make something happen. It could be a low scoring affair between the league’s two highest scoring teams. Paris Saint-Germain 0-0 Montpellier.
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