PSG vs Stade Reims Prediction: Luis Enrique has no intentions of restoring Mbappe's Status

Paris Saint Germain are back in action against Stade Reims in the Ligue 1. The league giants remain miles afar off the second best team on the table and for many, the battle for the Ligue 1 crown is all but over. But not for PSG because they intend to maintain the pace and momentum until the very end.

Stade Reims, like every other team, knows how difficult it is to play against PSG at the Parc des Princes. It's a challenge that only few teams come out of with a positive result and Stade Reims hope they can be lucky in this fixture.

Paris Saint Germain

PSG are somewhat invisible at the moment because there's just no weakness in their game and they have superiority in every area of the pitch. The upcoming game against Reims is expected to be an easy game for PSG, who are playing at their very best. However, they can sometimes have off days and throwaway points.

The Parisians played their last game in the Champions League during midweek after playing a goalless draw with AS Monaco a few days earlier. The draw with Monaco was the 2nd draw in their last 2 league games.

The most important issue surrounding the PSG team at the moment is most likely the contract situation of superstar Kylian Mbappe. With his intentions to play elsewhere at the end of the contract, PSG’s Luis Enrique has had to make tactical decisions to prepare the team ahead of his departure. Kylian Mbappe was benched in the game against Nantes and then he was subbed off in the games against Stade Rennes and AS Monaco, and both ended in a draw. However he did score a double in the Champions League game against Real Sociedad and he was left on the pitch until full time.

Kylian Mbappe is an integral player of the PSG team and his current treatment by the manager is felt to be rash by some fans and might affect the relationship between the duo in the future. All eyes will be on Luis Enrique on how he handles the saga surrounding his superstar player Kylian Mbappe.

Stade Reims

Stade Reims are no match for the PSG team on any occasion. And their current form doesn't help their case in any way, so we might be prepared to witness another case of a predator eating up the prey.

Reims have won just 1 game in their last 7 games in all competitions. And most recently they lost their last game against LOSC Lille by a 1-0 scoreline. 

Stade Reims' manager Will Still has been torn between different patterns of play. As he's been seen to play the 3-5-2, 3-4-3 and 4-3-3 in his last 3 games. Against Lille, he deployed the 4-3-3 formation and the team were able to match the opposition in some aspects of the game. The team had 57% possession, 3 shots on target and 4 corner kicks. But they created 0 big chances during the entire game. 

The game against PSG calls for greater attention in terms of the team's formation. PSG are the type of team that takes control of key areas on the pitch and Stade Reims are helpless in that respect. The only viable option seems to be to stay on the defensive and pray for luck. So maybe we're going to see a more compact and defensive approach from Will Still’s men.

Head to Head

Paris Saint Germain leads the h2h battle with a landslide. According to the h2h record, both clubs have played 19 games against each other. PSG won 12 games, while Stade Reims won 3 games and they drew 4 games.

Analysis and Predictions

Paris Saint Germain should walk away from this game with a resounding win. The team is in good shape and they are in a very good mood, so a win is in order for the french giants.

Luis Enrique will have a decision to make in his handling of Kylian Mbappe. There's a feeling he has no intention of restoring Mbappe status on the team despite playing him in full time against Real Sociedad. The Champions League is the priority of the French Giants and this game against Stade Reims, not so much.

According to the h2h, PSG are unbeaten in the last 8 meetings and they scored first in 7 of the last 8 meetings. They also won the first half in 6 of the last 8 meetings.

• PSG Total Over 2 Goals at 1.65 Odds
• PSG Total Over 2 Goals at 1.65 Odds
• PSG to Win 3-0 at 10.00.Odds