Paris (AFP)
Tied at the top of Ligue 1 before the 31st day, Paris SG and Lille face each other on Saturday (5:00 p.m.) in a decisive summit for the title.
After beating Lyon, PSG, with Neymar back, leaves as favorite.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino, who conceded in early March that he had experienced the first two months of "madness" at his post, has not come to the end of his troubles.
After two weeks of international truce, here is a fortnight in high altitude for the Argentinian.
After the Championship co-leader, his team will follow up with a quarter-final of the Champions League in the form of Everest against the defending champion, Bayern Munich (April 7 and 13).
By adding the trap move to Strasbourg (the 10th), Paris will have to walk on a ridge line that can change its season.
A single defeat could be fatal for the club, which wants to win everything.
A faultless would bring him closer to his enormous ambitions.
Between fear of emptiness and the attraction of a historic quadruple, defender Abdou Diallo decided: "These are the matches we dreamed of! You have to live it like that", he told the daily L'Equipe.
Against Lille, which it is ahead of thanks to a better goal difference, PSG has the opportunity to dismiss its toughest competitor on the national level.
- Neymar smiling -
After the show of force in Lyon before the break (4-2), the Parisians approach this shock with confidence, and fresh legs for its South American executives deprived of international competition.
"The break allowed us to recover a little, then to work harder too, to strengthen our physical condition. It's work that will do us a lot of good," said Argentinian midfielder Leandro Paredes.
Neymar's smile, back to 100% after an adductor injury that left him a month and a half in the infirmary, rubbed off on the rest of the group.
The Brazilian, sharp, is expected as the holder against the Mastiffs, after having replayed 20 minutes in the Rhône.
His presence should serve as a catalyst for a team that has not let go of all its concerns.
The infirmary remains full, between Marco Verratti (thigh), Danilo Pereira (calf), Mauro Icardi (thigh) and Layvin Kurzawa (calves), all unavailable this weekend.
Questions also weigh on the state of form of Kylian Mbappé, mobilized with the Blues on a trying streak, marked by a long trip to Kazakhstan.
- Resumption of the serial Mbappé -
"Kyky", who has not been good in the France team, has also revived the debate around a possible departure this summer, as he negotiates with PSG the extension of his contract expiring in 2022.
"If it had advanced, I would have already come to talk about it," he blurted out on RTL radio on Wednesday.
After the front page of the Parisian Friday evoking the "impatience" of the leaders of the PSG, the resumption of this long soap opera pollutes the atmosphere a little.
"This is not going to affect Kylian's performance," said Pochettino, who is wondering how to manage his playing time on Saturday. I found him on Thursday with a good state of mind. We will see how to manage, not just him, but the entire workforce, for the remaining two months. "
On the Lille side, the truce made it possible to forget the hard blow suffered against Nîmes (2-1) which made him lose the lead in the standings.
By adding the elimination in the Coupe de France against PSG (3-0) on March 17, this makes two consecutive defeats that have blackened the coat of arms of a team known for its steel defense.
"Whoever wins will not yet be champion and whoever loses will still be in the race. Behind there will be seven matches," said coach Christophe Galtier.
"You have to be clear-headed, not to panic, to know that you can fight to the end and at the end of the day it will not be much for you and you may be disappointed on the evening of the 38th day", a- he continued.
Lille, who have not won at the Parc des Princes since 1996 in L1, may have regained some breath.
So much the better, because now it's time for the sprint.
© 2021 AFP