Strasbourg Challenges PSG in Ligue 1 Showdown

Paris, Oct 16 (AP) Ligue 1 leader Paris Saint-Germain is set to host third-placed Strasbourg on Friday, with only a one-point difference between the teams. While PSG's top position comes as no surprise, Strasbourg — owned by Chelsea's parent company BlueCo since 2023 — is surpassing expectations.

The team, featuring homegrown talents, has flourished under English coach Liam Rosenior. This season, Strasbourg became the first in the history of the five major European domestic leagues to field 11 starters born in 2000 or later, according to Ligue 1 statistics. Their faith in youth is paying off.

With 14 goals in seven matches — the third-best attack in the league — and the competition's leading scorer, Argentine forward Joaquin Panichelli, Strasbourg rides high on confidence. They head to Parc des Princes fresh from a 5-0 victory against Angers before the international break.

Key Matchups: Behind PSG, Marseille and Lyon are level on points with Strasbourg. Marseille, known for combining defensive stability with attacking efficiency, eyes a sixth win against Le Havre on Saturday.

Lyon, after a home defeat to Toulouse, aims to bounce back at Nice. Meanwhile, Monaco's new manager Sébastien Pocognoli makes his Ligue 1 debut at Angers, with Monaco sitting fifth, three points behind PSG.

Players to Watch: After struggling to live up to being dubbed the next Lionel Messi at Barcelona, Ansu Fati has revitalized his career at Monaco. Joining on a season-long loan to reinvigorate his injury-plagued journey, he's making significant strides.

Fati scored twice from penalties in a 2-2 tie against Nice before the international break, setting a record: Since the 1947–1948 season, no player has needed so little time — merely 126 minutes — to score five goals at the start of a Ligue 1 career with a new club. He outpaced Johan Audel, who took 137 minutes for Valenciennes (2007–08), and Emmanuel Rivière, needing 174 minutes for Monaco (2013–14).

Fati is also the league's joint top scorer with Panichelli. Striker Amine Gouiri of Marseille may miss the Le Havre match after injuring his right shoulder in a collision with Uganda's goalkeeper while playing for Algeria.

PSG will be without captain Marquinhos, but forwards Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé might be fit in time for the Strasbourg match. Off the Field:

The hot topic is Dembélé's future at PSG and the club's need to reassess his wages following his Ballon d'Or win. According to L'Équipe, PSG plans to leverage his achievement to enhance its global image and attract new sponsors. However, the club must renegotiate his contract, which is valid until 2028. L'Équipe estimated Dembélé earns over 1.5 million euros ($1.7 million) per month — the squad's highest salary — and reported that his agents are seeking a raise commensurate with his new stature, his stellar 2024 season (35 goals, 16 assists), and his growing team influence.

However, with stricter financial fair play rules and lower TV revenues, PSG remains cautious about returning to past salary levels for Messi and Neymar (around 30 million euros net annually).(AP)

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