PSG Avoid Further Injuries Ahead of Chelsea Champions League Return

Paris Saint-Germain remain 23 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 after a lifeless 0-0 draw at home to Montpellier HSC on Saturday.

Laurent Blanc’s men enjoyed plenty of chances at Parc des Princes, but they failed to take a single one of them. When they did finally get shots on target, they found visiting goalkeeper Laurent Pionnier in inspired form.

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Although the game was uneventful, and it was the sort of performance that would usually be jeered by the home supporters, the starting XI selected by Blanc told its own story.

PSG were well and truly focused on next Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League last-16 second leg against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and Le President’s objective on Saturday was to avoid suffering further injuries ahead of the trip to London.

Blanc admitted when speaking with the assembled French press after the final whistle that he was not satisfied with the result, but the 50-year-old was quick to mention his pleasure at a match that did not add to his pre-existing injury concerns.

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We can't be satisfied with the result. The game was there for the winning but we were not clinical enough in attack and I'm disappointed that we didn't manage to get a goal. The essential thing, and the thing that makes me happiest, is that we didn't pick up any injuries. We decided to bring certain players into the team and allow others to rest. Overall it is satisfying.

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With no other issues to consider, the priority for Blanc and PSG is now to get Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi fit for the Chelsea clash.

Both midfielders were missed against Montpellier, but it is likely that neither would have featured even if they were fit. It was Blanc’s intention all along to use as few regular starters as possible and to use certain figures for limited periods of time to bring them to their optimum level of fitness.

As reported by Les Parisiens’ official website on the eve of the encounter with Frederic Hantz’s men, Blanc went into detail over the nature of the Italian and the Frenchman’s injuries to explain why they would be unavailable for the visit of La Paillade.

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The injury to Blaise (Matuidi) is muscular. He's undergoing tests. Marco (Verratti) has a bone-based injury, and that's more problematic. We'll see whether we can get them back as quickly as possible, but they won't be in the squad tomorrow. They're two important players for Paris Saint-Germain, but if they're not available, we have quality players to replace them.

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Now it is a race against time for Verratti and Matuidi, and Blanc’s choices on Saturday indicated that at least one of the two is a serious doubt for the Chelsea game.

If the PSG tactician was confident that his two star midfielders will be fit to start at Stamford Bridge, then he would almost certainly have started Javier Pastore against Montpellier as the Argentina international is still in need of regular minutes to raise his current level of match fitness.

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However, El Flaco started on the bench and was introduced with 30 minutes remaining, suggesting that he was being preserved in case Blanc needs to start him in southwest London on Wednesday night.

Although far from ideal, there was some logic in the Frenchman’s decision. If Verratti and/or Matuidi are unable to start against Chelsea, then he will need to align a different midfield to his usual combination of the Italian, the France international and the veteran Azzurri star Thiago Motta.

A midfield three consisting of Motta, Pastore and Adrien Rabiot, although less combative, would be more technical and capable of creating more chances for PSG to score themselves a vital away goal.

The South American’s lack of match fitness is a concern ahead of the Chelsea showdown, but less of a concern than the aptitude of Verratti and Matuidi.

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From the outside, the French champions’ 0-0 draw with Montpellier looks like a poor result.

However, considering the capital club’s commanding lead in Ligue 1 and history of injury issues on the eve of big matches, Blanc handled the game well and produced an acceptable result on the pitch and the desired one off it.

Now, at the very worst, PSG will probably only miss one of Verratti or Matuidi from the start against Chelsea.