PARIS: Big-spending Paris Saint Germain, poised for a tough Champions League campaign, turn their focus first to their stuttering Ligue 1 start when they host high-flying rivals St Etienne at the weekend.
PSG were handed a tricky European group stage draw alongside four-time winners Barcelona and Ajax on Thursday, but far from the glamour of Europe eyes will be firmly fixed on the domestic grind tomorrow.
PSG host Saint Etienne after a goalless draw by the Parisians at Evian followed a 2-0 home win against Bastia and an opening 2-2 draw at Reims.
St Etienne, sitting second, have so far notched up two wins and a draw. They are also on a high after advancing to the Europa League group stages following a suspense-filled penalty shootout against Turkish side Karabukspor on Thursday.
Laurent Blanc’s Parisians are fifth, four points adrift of leaders Bordeaux who have a maximum nine points after three games.
But the reigning two-time champions can be encouraged by the fact that with five points from three matches they are in the same position as last season and even have two more than in 2012-2013, when they started with three draws.
Bordeaux will be bidding to keep their winning momentum as the Ligue 1 leaders host Bastia.
Willy Sagnol’s side have three wins from as many games in his
first season at Bordeaux to sit two points ahead of Saint Etienne and Lille.
Today: Monaco v Lille, Caen v Rennes, Lens v Reims, Lorient v Guingamp, Nantes v Montpellier, Toulouse v Evian, Bordeaux v Bastia, Metz v Lyon; Tomorrow: Paris Saint Germain v St Etienne. AFP