Xavi Simons will be in the starting line-up at Paris Saint-Germain for the second time this season on Monday evening. The attacking midfielder, whose contract expires next summer, will be allowed to start by Mauricio Pochettino in the Coupe de France match against fourth division team Vannes. PSG also plays in a fairly strong formation on paper, including Georginio Wijnaldum. The sixteenth-final game starts at 9.10 p.m.
PSG is struggling with a corona outbreak and has to miss Lionel Messi, Juan Bernat, Danilo Pereira, Sergio Rico and Nathan Bitumazala due to infections. Neymar has been absent for a long time due to an injury. In addition, three players have flown out with Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), Abdou Diallo and Gana Gueye (both Senegal) to prepare for the Africa Cup. It forces Pochettino to make the necessary changes. The Argentinian seems to have designated Wijnaldum and Simons as wing players, who should support center striker Kylian Mbappe.
Gianluigi Donnarumma is favored below the bar, while captain Presnel Kimpembe and Thilo Kehrer form the central defense duo. Colin Dagba and Nuno Mendes occupy the back positions. In midfield, Marco Verratti and Ander Herrera are supported by the youngster Edouard Michut. It will be Simons’ second game this season in PSG’s first. The midfielder is invariably ignored by Pochettino, but was allowed to play the entire match in the previous round of the Coupe de France against Entente Feignies Aulnoye.
Line-up Paris Saint Germain: Donnarumma; Dagba, Kehrer, Kimpembe, Nuno Mendes; Verratti, Michut, Ander Herrera; Wijnaldum, Mbappe, Simons
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