St. Etienne vs. PSG: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
Offensive firepower will meet defensive fortitude on Sunday, January 25, as Saint Etienne host Paris Saint-Germain in a top Ligue 1 clash at 8 p.m. GMT.
The defending French champions trail Olympique Lyon by four points and can't afford to drop a result against St. Etienne, who rank among Europe's top defensive squads but face a minor injury crisis going into the match.
A win against Les Parisiens would do wonders for the team's Champions-League chances, while the visitors have to win to keep their title bid alive.
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Date: Sunday, January 25
Time: 8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. ET
Venue: Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne
TV info and live stream: The match will be broadcast in the UK via BT Sport's Red-Button service, with mobile coverage available through the BT Sport app.
Preview
The hosts come into the match with an incredible defensive reputation, having conceded just 11 goals in 21 Ligue 1 fixtures this season. As shared by Barcastuff, Les Verts rank among Europe's top squads when it comes to keeping clean sheets:
"Most clean sheets in top 5 leagues 2014/15: Bayern 13 - Barcelona 11 - Roma 11 - StEtienne 11 - Chelsea 11 - Juventus 10 [via @barca19stats]
— barcastuff (@barcastuff) January 17, 2015"
The defence will be tested tremendously on Sunday, going up against one of the most vaunted front lines in the sport. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani have the individual quality to score at any moment, even if the duo haven't been at their best during the 2014-15 campaign.
The Uruguay international in particular has faced criticism this season, missing time in recent weeks as punishment for missing the club's training camp and arriving late in practice, as reported by Goal's Nicholas McGee.
There have also been rumours of a rift between the attacking duo, but Cavani told L'Equipe (h/t Goal's Stefan Coerts) those rumours are being driven by the media and are simply untrue:
Ezequiel Lavezzi was handed the same punishment, but the Argentina international faces even more question marks after a series of disappointing performances.
Several media outlets claim manager Laurent Blanc is ready to cash in on the winger but, according to Le Parisien (h/t Bleacher Report UK's Jonathan Johnson), club leaders are opposed to a sale:
PSG's forwards won't have it easy going up against Les Verts and their solid defence, although a series of injuries could aid Les Parisiens on Sunday.
As reported by Johnson, Kevin Monnet-Paquet and Christophe Galtier will miss the clash, while Romain Hamouma is also doubtful:
There's no denying PSG are struggling right now—the defending champions are used to sitting at the top of the standings and running away with the title, not chasing multiple teams at the midway point of the season. The reports of dressing-room conflicts with Lavezzi and Cavani also aren't helping, either.
A big win on Sunday could go a long way to silencing critics and re-introduce some momentum for Les Parisiens, who still boast the quality to dominate just about every club in France. With St. Etienne limping into the match, the table is set for a win that could turn the season around.
PSG's struggles don't look like going away anytime soon, however, and Sunday's match could be the latest indication all is not well with Blanc's squad.
Final Prediction: St. Etienne 0-0 Paris Saint-Germain
