PSG vs. Bordeaux: Issues and Decisions That Will Shape French Cup Game
Paris Saint-Germain welcomes Girondins de Bordeaux to the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night, fighting for a place in the last 16 of the Coupe de France. The French champions will be looking to continue their winning ways after Sunday’s 4-2 victory over Evian.
Since Qatari Sports Investments took over the club, the Coupe de France remains the one domestic competition that PSG have yet to win, and with a home tie at this stage, they will see it as the perfect opportunity to advance.
It won’t be easy against Willy Sagnol’s side, but Les Girondins are not on the best run of form at the moment. They will be disappointed to have slipped up 2-1 to Nice on Friday in the league, dropping eight points behind Saint-Etienne in fourth place.
Bordeaux’s last victory in all competitions came in the last round of the cup, beating fellow Ligue 1 side Toulouse 2-1. The Coupe de France could be their last chance to qualify for European football next season.
Here are the issues and decisions that will shape Wednesday’s French Cup game.
PSG Need to Shut Up Shop
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This season in Ligue 1, PSG have only conceded 19 goals, that’s an average of less than one per game. However, over the last three games in all competitions, the champions have conceded six times.
This will raise cause for concern for Laurent Blanc, and it has also raised questions over his defensive selections this season.
Brazilian defender Marquinhos played at right-back in both cup wins over Montpellier and Saint-Etienne this month, and in both games PSG kept clean sheets.
With Gregory van der Wiel playing in the league games, the back line conceded four against Bastia and two against Evian on Sunday.
There have been calls for Marquinhos to play centrally this season, as mentioned in this article on Bleacher Report, but it is clear, the 20-year-old should at least be playing in place of Van der Wiel.
Keeping a clean sheet against Bordeaux will give them the best possible chance to advance on Wednesday.
Do Bordeaux Have the Firepower to Trouble PSG?
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Sagnol suffered a huge blow this season when top scorer Cheick Diabate was ruled out for around three months. The giant striker should have been playing for Mali at the African Cup of Nations, but that would have brought him back in February, rather than around April.
Les Girondins have yet to win a league game that hasn’t featured Diabate playing some part. The 26-year-old is the club's top scorer this season with eight goals and is going to be a huge loss for the Garonne side.
Interestingly, the two games that Bordeaux has won without Diabate, both came against Toulouse, in the Coupe de la Ligue and the 2-1 win over Le Tefece in the last round of the Coupe de France.
Uruguayan Diego Rolan has six league goals this season, while exciting 21-year-old prospect Thomas Toure has two league goals and three assists. He scored the opener against Toulouse in the last round and all the pressure will be on his young shoulders to give his team hope against PSG.
History Does Not Favour Bordeaux
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When Bordeaux won the French league back in 2009, it was under the guidance of current PSG coach Blanc, and Sagnol will be hoping to banish a poor away record in the French capital to get one over on the ex-Girondins hero.
Bordeaux have failed to win in any of their last four visits to the Parc des Princes.
Their last victory came in 2010, with a much different looking PSG side. Zoumana Camara is the only member of the current PSG side that played that day; Clement Chantome was an unused substitute in the 2-1 defeat.
Only goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso and Czech Republic international Jaroslav Plasil are set to feature again for the away side and Plasil will be hoping for a repeat of his assist that set up the opening goal for Alou Diarra that day.
Last season Bordeaux lost 2-0 and in October they were beaten 3-0 by a side that didn’t feature Edinson Cavani or Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The omens are not in Bordeaux’s favour.
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