Ligue 1 | Gameweek 22

Feb 15, 2025 at 8.05pm UK

Stadium de Toulouse (Toulouse)

Toulouse vs PSG

Match preview

It has been a great week for Luis Enrique's side, who have beaten another distant title contender in Ligue 1 before taking a giant step towards the last 16 of the Champions League in midweek.

PSG's 4-1 win over Monaco at the Parc des Princes last weekend kept them in contention for the title, and they followed that up with a 3-0 away win over fellow French side Brest in the Champions League knockout stages on Tuesday, putting them in a commanding position ahead of next week's return leg.

Sitting 10 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 and all but assured of a place in Europe, PSG have passed two of their early February tests with flying colours, and on paper their next encounter with Toulouse should be one of the easier ones.

The Parisians face Lyon and Lille in the next three weeks, as well as a Coupe de France quarter-final against fourth-tier Stade Briochin, before an expected last-16 tie in Europe against either Liverpool or Barcelona, so maintaining their current level of form will be crucial.

PSG can take nothing for granted, however, as Toulouse were the last side to beat them in Ligue 1 - on matchday 33 last season.

With the possibility of becoming the first club ever to go an entire Ligue 1 season unbeaten, Enrique will want to ensure that his players remain focused despite their massive lead at the top.

With just 34 Ligue 1 games in the modern era, it will be a tall order to beat the current single-season record held by Nantes, who went 32 games unbeaten in 1994-95, but PSG's domestic form suggests they will extend it here.

Only the legendary AC Milan team of the early 1990s enjoyed a longer unbeaten run in 34 away league games in the history of Europe's top five, and with 24 wins in 29 previous meetings with Toulouse, the away support will be in a buoyant mood.

The visitors' confidence will be further boosted by Toulouse's recent form, as they are winless in five Ligue 1 matches, having won six of their previous eight.

It is more than a year since Toulouse's worst run in the league and it suggests their season is already fizzling out, even though it is only February.

Carles Martinez's side sit 10th, six points adrift of Europe and nine clear of the bottom three, and with little to play for in the league, last week's Coupe de France exit at the hands of Guingamp was all the more disappointing.

The Violets did at least show some grit in grabbing a point at Auxerre last weekend, with 19-year-old Noah Edjouma scoring a last-minute equaliser on his Ligue 1 debut in a 2-2 draw.

It is the sort of result Toulouse supporters have become accustomed to, especially at home, as despite scoring in each of their last 10 home games, they have now conceded in their last four - their longest home scoring and conceding streak since 2015.

Recent Performance

Toulouse Ligue 1 form:WLDLDD

Toulouse form (all competitions):WDLDLD

Paris Saint-Germain Ligue 1 form:WWWDWW

Paris Saint-Germain form (all competitions):DWWWWW

Team News

PSG's only injury concern is young midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery, who remains sidelined with an ankle injury, but otherwise Enrique should have the rest of his squad at his disposal.

With such a commanding lead in Europe, there is little need for Enrique to rest his players ahead of the second leg against Brest, and they should be able to play a largely untroubled game.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Goncalo Ramos and Lee Kang-in could all return to the side, but there must be a place for Europe's most in-form player, Ousmane Dembele, who has scored 18 goals in his last 11 appearances.

Toulouse's teenage goalkeeper Guillaume Restes was dropped at the weekend after a shaky run of form, but Norwegian stopper Kjetil Haug could be back in contention.

Josh King was forced off with an injury in the first half of the draw with Auxerre and is likely to miss out, along with fellow attacker Yann Gboho, who is recovering from a hamstring problem.

In defence, Martinez will be without Rasmus Nicolaisen due to a calf problem and the experienced Djibril Sidibe is out with an Achilles injury.

Possible starting lineup

Toulouse possible starting lineup:

Haug; Akdag, Cresswell, Suazo; Messali, Sierro, Casseres, Donnum; Babicka, Magri, Aboukhlal

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Hakimi, Lucas Beraldo, Pacho, Hernandez; Lee, Vitinha, Joao Neves; Dembele, Goncalo Ramos, Kvaratskhelia