Paris Saint-Germain head to City Football Group-owned Troyes after an explosive week knowing that they could be as few as two points clear at the Ligue 1 summit going into the clash at Stade de l'Aube. Lionel Messi has been suspended, fined and banned from all facilities after an unauthorized trip with his family to Saudi Arabia for commercial commitments and the PSG ultras have since protested against the running of the club and notably the indulgences afforded to the likes of Messi, Neymar and Marco Verratti. Troyes are as good as down but that might not stop them from taking points away from Christophe Galtier's Parisiens who are back in freefall after last week's 3-1 home defeat to Lorient.
"I can understand their anger and their disappointment," said Galtier of the ultras on Friday ahead of Sunday's trip to Troyes. "They can protest in front of here, where we work, or the club's headquarters, or after a match. However, I do not accept them going directly to a player's home.
"I was informed by the management at the start of the week of the decision to suspend Leo," added the French tactician on Messi. "I have taken the responsibility not to comment on it. We will see when Leo comes back. Obviously there will be discussions with the entire club, but also with Leo who is the most important person in the situation.
"There is an aim to be achieved, and the players are working towards it," said Galtier on the actual game. "Do not go thinking that the players are all smiles when they lose a game, be it away or at home. I saw my squad's reaction after the defeat to Lorient. I saw the game, but I also saw my players' reaction at the start of the week and throughout it. We are all focused and involved. It is an accurate analysis to say that it is not good enough when there is a title to be won. This season is very unique, not just in France but in Europe. In other leagues, I can see defending champions being pushed like we currently are, but in the dressing room, I can see conscientious players who are unhappy when the team loses."
Here's our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
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How to watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, May 7 | Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
- Location: Stade de l'Aube -- Troyes, France
- TV: beIN Sports USA | Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
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Odds: Troyes +750; Draw: +450; PSG -300 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Team news
Troyes: Rominigue Kouame is back from suspension and could replace Jeff Reine-Adelaide although Renaud Ripart, Abdu Conte and Karim Azamoum are out as well as Andreas Bruus who was hurt against Nice. Ex-PSG youth academy product Thierno Balde could start against his former club this weekend.
Possible Troyes XI: Gallon; Zoukrou, Palmer-Brown, Rami; Balde, Agoume, Kouame, Larouci; Chavalerin, Odobert; Balde.
PSG: Achraf Hakimi is suspended and Messi is banned by the club while Neymar, Presnel Kimpembe, Nordi Mukiele and now Nuno Mendes are all out for the season. Timothee Pembele is working his way back and it is the same for Renato Sanches, but options are thin in certain areas like right back.
"Nuno is out until the end of the season, and Achraf is suspended following his second yellow card," said Galtier of the post-Lorient situation. "Combined with other absences, that puts us at a disadvantage, but those times when you have got a reduced squad are part and parcel of a season. We have got one game per week, and we need to find solutions. We have worked towards that to make up for certain players being absent and to try to keep up our away form because we are probably better on the road than we are at home. I have been looking for someone who could replace both Achraf and Nordi, and Juan Bernat will be available on the left wing. We will make sure to have a really dynamic team so that we can keep winning away from home.
"From a personal perspective, I am focused on my work, not in terms of managing the games but in terms of the squad, which is unfortunately being weakened by injuries and suspensions. There is a five-point gap, but this season, we have got teams in second and third who have a significant number of points and who are in great form, so there is no room for complacency. The defeats that we've suffered are not related to complacency but to a difficult situation from a physical perspective, even more so when, game after game, you are picking up injuries that deprive you of important players for the rest of the season. We need to be united, to talk to each other, to avoid letting things go unsaid and to speak freely so that everyone can express themselves with a bit more freedom and so that everyone can perform with one aim: to be crowned champions at the end of the season."
PSG's full confirmed squad for Troyes is here.
Possible PSG XI: Donnarumma; Pereira, Marquinhos, Ramos; Zaire-Emery, Verratti, Vitinha, Ruiz, Bernat; Mbappe, Ekitike.
Prediction
Despite the latest drama, this is one that even an under-strength PSG side should be winning against a poor Troyes side. Patrick Kisnorbo could find himself dismissed with Adil Rami frustrated at the lack of urgency within the home squad. Do not expect that mood to improve here. Pick: Troyes 1, PSG 3.