PSG, Paris FC Predicted Lineups for Historic Derby, First Since 1978

6 days ago 2

Two days from the PSG vs. Paris FC derby on Sunday, it is already possible to predict the lineups for this Matchday 17 Ligue 1 fixture. On the Parisian side, Luis Enrique is expected to field a very competitive team.

PSG begins its 2026 year with a highly symbolic match against Paris FC. The first derby between the two Parisian clubs since December 1978.

For this Ligue 1 Matchday 17 game, Luis Enrique will be without his African internationals Achraf Hakimi and Ibrahim Mbaye, still at the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as his injured players Matvey Safonov, Lee Kang-in, and Quentin Ndjantou.

Without Safonov, Lucas Chevalier will return to the starting lineup a little over a month after his injury at Monaco on Nov. 29. In front of the French goalkeeper, a four-man defense should normally be composed of Warren Zaire-Emery on the right, Marquinhos and Willian Pacho in the center, with Nuno Mendes on the left.

In midfield, no surprises in sight, the trio Joao Neves-Vitinha-Fabian Ruiz is fit and should start, while there is a doubt in attack. Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele are recovered and should start, but Luis Enrique will have a choice to make on the left between Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola, who both played against Flamengo on Dec. 17 before being left to rest against Fontenay.

PSG's predicted lineup vs. Paris FC: Chevalier; Zaire-Emery, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia (or Barcola).

On the Paris FC side, currently 14th in Ligue 1, Stephane Gilli must manage the absence of five players at the Africa Cup of Nations: Samir Chergui (Algeria), Ilan Kebbal (Algeria), Jean-Philippe Krasso (Ivory Coast), Moses Simon (Nigeria), and Hamari Traore (Mali). Five players who are usually starters and will need to be replaced.

Midfielder Pierre Lees-Melou, injured since late November, is very uncertain for the derby, while right-back Sofiane Alakouch and forward Pierre-Yves Hamel are still in the recovery phase and will not play. The major question on the Paris FC side concerns the goalkeeper position.

Young French goalkeeper Obed Nkambadio was the No. 1 at the start of the season, but the former PSG German goalkeeper was preferred in the last two Ligue 1 matchdays (with a 0-0 draw against Le Havre and a 3-0 defeat against Toulouse). Obed Nkambadio regained his starting spot on Dec. 20 in the Coupe de France against US Raon-l'Etape (a 3-0 victory for the Parisians), and Gilli will have to decide.

Having scored a hat-trick in the Coupe de France before the holidays, former PSG winger Jonathan Ikoné should start against his former club, probably on the right wing of the Parisian attack. A 4-2-3-1 or even a 4-5-1 is expected from Paris FC, which hasn't won in Ligue 1 since Nov. 1.

Paris FC's predicted lineup vs. PSG: Trapp (or Nkambadio); Sangui, Mbow, Otavio, De Smet (or Ollila); Marchetti, Camara; Ikoné, M. Lopez, Cafaro; Geubbels.

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