The hangover effects from the 2023 New Year’s Day celebrations were felt during their 3-1 defeat away to second-place Lens, which was a game in which PSG lost their title as the only remaining unbeaten side among the top five European leagues in 2022/23.
PSG
This season, the French Football Federation scheduled matches on January 1 for the first time since 1961, but Paris Saint-Germain won’t want to see it happen again. The hangover effects from the 2023 New Year’s Day celebrations were felt during their 3-1 defeat away to second-place Lens, which was a game in which PSG lost their title as the only remaining unbeaten side among the top five European leagues in 2022/23. Neutrals were undoubtedly delighted with the defeat, as it revived interest in Ligue 1 and closed the gap between the league leaders and second-placed Lens to just four points! After a 3-1 victory over third-tier opposition Chateauroux in the French Cup, the Parisians should be back on track. This matchup against rock-bottom Angers is a golden opportunity to avoid consecutive Ligue 1 losses for the first time in over two years!
Angers
A ceremony could be held at the Parc des Princes to celebrate Lionel Messi’s return after he won the World Cup. Still, Angers will be keen to spoil the party, even if that seems unlikely after a run of eight consecutive Ligue 1 losses – the worst run in the club’s history. On a slightly more positive note, they qualified for the French Cup Round of 16 after knocking out Ligue 1 club Strasbourg on penalties last weekend. Currently on a run of three away scoring blanks in Ligue 1, the visitors must also contend with the ghost of 14 consecutive H2H competitive losses, with their last H2H victory at Parc des Princes dating back to May 1972! Officially appointed at Angers last week, it seems likely that coach Abdel Bouhazama will have to wait a little longer before getting his first points.
Neymar will be back from suspension after picking up his fifth red card since arriving in Paris and will be looking to improve on his tally of six goals against Angers. Aiming to eclipse him, Angers’ striker Sofiane Boufal has scored his three league goals this season after half-time. Angers have lost their last six Ligue 1 matches played on a Wednesday!