Paris (AFP)

Without managers Neymar and Idrissa Gueye, the puzzle continues: the PSG, faced with the absence of multiple major players, goes to Nice on Friday (21:00), with a weakened workforce, who hopes to rely on the returns of Kylian Mbappé and Edinson Cavani.

Since the beginning of the season, the curse of injuries has not spared the Parisian club. And the international truce of October did not help to overcome the bad luck, far from it!

In Singapore, place of friendly matches of the Brazilian selection, the PSG has for example seen his superstar Neymar hurt his hamstrings. Result of the medical exams: "four weeks" of absence approximately, synonymous with lump sum for the next two games of the Champions League and the "clasico" against Marseille on October 27th.

A few hours later, it was the turn of midfield rookie Idrissa Gueye to extend the list of absentees for a similar injury that will take him away from the field ten days.

Marked absences added to those of defender Thilo Kehrer, still injured, and side Juan Bernat, suspended for the move Nice.

The infernal calendar of a season started at the beginning of August and the long displacements at the other end of the world explain such an "epidemic"? "For the players, it's too much," lamented Thursday Paris coach Thomas Tuchel, who has never been able to count on 100% of its workforce this season.

- Mbapped holder? -

"There are too many competitions, too many matches, we have a big problem, we do not have a preparation phase, all the teams, who have the same rhythm as us, play with a lot of players. This kills the players, and at the end (the quality) matches, "he added.

Despite the cascade of injuries, the reigning French champion managed to take the lead of the championship before approaching the 10th day. Better, he could recover against Nice, 9th of the ranking, his two other stars Kylian Mbappé and Edinson Cavani.

"(Mbappé) did a full week of training but I have to talk with him because it is not possible to play at 80-90% If we play, we must be + full +, give everything in terms of intensity It's the same for + Edi + Cavani, we have to wait a bit, "tempered Thomas Tuchel.

Injured with a thigh at the end of August, Mbappé has since played only September 28 in Bordeaux and October 1 against Galatasaray in C1, each time thirty minutes, before being again left to rest on October 5 in L1, then at the rally of the France team.

For his part, Cavani was injured at the same time on the right hip that had already left the competition for two months last season.

- Nice does not want to "be afraid to play" -

If no risk will be taken before the trip to Bruges in the Champions League on Tuesday, the Paris coach will rely including other men early in the season, Angel Di Maria or Mauro Icardi, to animate the attack.

Especially in front, the Nice side Youcef Atal, fastest player of L1 according to the statistics of the League and fatal weapon of the "Aiglons", will be suspended.

"We must bring enthusiasm, determination, aggressiveness to pack this match and try to have the result we would like to have," said Nice coach Patrick Vieira.

"When we have the ball, we should not be afraid to play forward If we only think of defending against PSG, it is not even worth playing the game," he still warned. Especially if Mbappé and Cavani are back at their best.

© 2019 AFP