A vastly under-strength Paris Saint-Germain lost their opening game of a Ligue 1 (L1) campaign for the first time since 2011/12 as they fell 1-0 to newly-promoted Lens, despite the opposition having just 21.9% ball possession – the lowest of any winning team in L1 since 2006/07.
However the hosts’ previous three first home games of a new L1 campaign saw them win, score in both halves, and lead at HT. Another promising omen is that two-thirds of PSG’s home league wins last season saw them lead at the break, whilst their final four L1 home matches of last term saw them score in both halves.
Marseille opened the season with a 3-2 victory and now look to win their first two away games of a new L1 campaign for the first time since 2013/14. That result also extended a run of both teams scoring and over 3.5 goals to four games, and witnessed Marseille lead at HT for a third straight match.
However the visitors are winless in their last 13 competitive trips here (D1, L12), with 11 seeing Marseille trail at HT. Yet the division’s second-best away side last campaign will feel they have a chance against this superstar-ravaged PSG team, and did turn a league-high four HT draws into FT wins on the road last term.
Players to watch: With limited options, Pablo Sarabia could play as a makeshift striker - three of his last four PSG goals came after HT.
Florian Thauvin was involved in all three goals last time out (one goal, two assists), the ninth time he’s been involved in 3+ goals in a L1 match for Marseille. No other player for the club since 2006/07 has done that more than twice.
Hot streak: Since the start of 2014/15, PSG are unbeaten when scoring first at home in L1, a run of 90 games (W81, D9).