Paris (AFP)

Change the formula or trust the best replacement? With Kylian Mbappé's package for the Coupe de la Ligue final against Lyon on Friday (9:10 p.m.), Paris must already adapt to a possible absence of its star striker for the Champions League.

The "positive attitude" of "KM" since his sprained right ankle, between smiles displayed during the presentation of the Coupe de France trophy and encouraging clichés on social networks, does not prevent the puzzle for his coach Thomas Tuchel.

With "about three weeks" of absence, the Parisian star will miss this second national cup final and the reception of Sochaux on August 5 in a friendly, two matches supposed to put PSG into orbit before the Champions League quarter against France. Atalanta Bergamo, August 12 in Lisbon.

The oiled tandem with Neymar and the association of the "Fantastic Four" being put in parentheses, it is quite an animation, scaffolded since January, that must already be reviewed!

For the German technician, the alternatives are not numerous: either he keeps his system with four attackers, and thus replaces Mbappé with Pablo Sarabia or Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting; or he changes his playing structure, adding a midfielder instead of a center forward in a 4-3-3 pattern.

- Sarabia, appeal N.1 -

"If there is no Mbappé, there is Neymar. If there is no Neymar, there is Icardi. If there is no Icardi, there is Di Maria. This Paris SG team has a lot very good players, the absence of a player is not enough to weaken him ": by listing the offensive dangers of his future opponent on the antenna of Europe 1 on Sunday, Lyon coach Rudi Garcia omitted the name of Pablo Sarabia.

Less flashy on paper than Mauro Icardi, the recruitment of the Spaniard (28) is nevertheless a success.

Despite a "super-substitute" status, the former Sevilla player has established himself as one of the most decisive players in PSG, with 14 goals scored in all competitions just before the interruption of competitions in March due to of the coronavirus pandemic.

Better, he was the holder in the knockout round of the Champions League victorious against Dortmund (2-0) ... already to compensate for the absence of Mbappé, victim at the time of angina.

"From a football point of view, I am very happy with the way my first year is going," Sarabia told AFP in an interview published during confinement in mid-April.

It remains to be confirmed in the “money-time” that is looming ... so as not to regret the departure at the end of June of Edinson Cavani, top scorer in the history of PSG who preferred not to extend his contract.

- System change, the careful card -

See Marquinhos back in sentry, a credible scenario? Throughout the first part of the season, the Parisian defender was repositioned in midfield in a 4-3-3 pattern to solidify his team's balance in important matches.

The most striking example? The demonstration against Real Madrid (3-0) in the first European match of the season, September 18, 2019.

With an offensive potential cut off from Mbappé and Angel Di Maria, suspended for the quarter-final of the C1, Tuchel can decide to hand over his vice-captain to the center of the field, knowing that the extension of Thiago Silva offers him the guarantee of a high-level defensive hinge with Presnel Kimpembe.

If Marco Verratti is essential, Idrissa Gueye and Leandro Paredes are the other applicants for the two remaining places. The attacking trio based on the talent of Neymar, Icardi and Sarabia. There are two matches left to test the formula ...

© 2020 AFP