The first defeat, at home, should be forgotten. This is the challenge that awaits Luis Enrique’s players when they visit Tottenham’s Parc des Princes on Wednesday 26 November, match day 5 of the Champions League. After seeing their winning streak in the competition end with a (2-1) defeat against Bayern Munich at the start of the month, the Parisians are aiming for a third success in this league phase. The problem is that Spurs still haven’t lost in C1 this season.
European Super Cup revenge. On August 13, having just returned from a short holiday after the Club World Cup, PSG managed to win the European Super Cup by beating Tottenham on penalties, after being behind (2-0). More than three months later, Spurs are only 9th in the English championship, 11 points behind leaders (and hated rivals) Arsenal who just delivered a crushing blow (4-1) on Sunday. The Champions League, without a single defeat so far (after two draws against Bodo Glint and Monaco and two wins against Villareal and Copenhagen), is a clearing for Thomas Frank’s men.
Life without Hakimi. To play this match, PSG had to play without one of its executives: Achraf Hakimi. Right back, injured during the match against Bayern due to an uncontrolled tackle from Luis Diaz is still recovering. However, the 2025 African Golden Ball poses a permanent danger to opponents with his unrelenting excesses (already three assists in C1) and also his realism (he scored four goals last season, including the first in the final against Inter Milan). How big will his absence be in the Paris game?
Return of Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons to Paris. Getting off to a good start in the Champions League with two wins and two draws, Tottenham arrived in Paris full of desire. Two players definitely have the desire to shine more than any other: French international Randal Kolo Muani and Dutch international Xavi Simons, a former Paris house player. Unable to win in the capital, these two offensive players will want to shine on a pitch they know well.
