The Champions Trophy between PSG and Monaco should not particularly hold any huge surprises regarding the composition of the Parisian team. But the status of possible replacements for Warren Zaire-Emery and Gonçalo Ramos remains a notable point.
Luis Enrique likes to make surprises in his team compositions, even his players admitting that the Spanish coach is frankly impossible to predict on this point. Today’s press announces a fairly close starting eleven for today’s PSG/Monaco (5:30 p.m.) but two possible starters seem destined for the sidelines: midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery and striker Gonçalo Ramos. The two cases are, however, quite different.
Zaire-Emery victim of the day of four for three places?
Luis Enrique announced it a few weeks ago: he has four midfielders of a level that he considers practically equal, plus Mayulu, and there will be no starting trio this season. In the Champions League, this was seen as João Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz and Warren Zaire-Emery all started one or more matches on the bench in turn. In L1, the rotation happens just as naturally, even if the four also play together.
This was the case in Munich, with a quartet which got lost, but also in… Monaco in L1 when Neves then Zaire-Emery replaced Nuno Mendes at left-back. The young Frenchman also regularly helps out on the right when Hakimi needs to take a breather. But the two usual PSG full-backs are expected this Sunday and it is therefore one of the four midfielders who should be placed on the bench at kick-off. Vitinha seems the most established of the four, Neves is the most versatile and plays a lot. The last position is therefore played between Fabian Ruiz and Zaire-Emery and it seems that it is the Frenchman’s turn to be left out.
Gonçalo Ramos still a joker with a false tip?
In attack, the question arises in a very different way. Two starters are established, Barcola on the left and Dembélé on the right, while the central position is the most open in the starting eleven since no one has really established themselves there over time. Asensio, Lee and even Kolo Muani played there without convincing. Recently, it was Désiré Doué who took the position and the young Frenchman has shown great promise in this position. His first period in Monaco was particularly excellent, and not just because he scored.
But behind this choice, it is also all of Luis Enrique’s reflection on this role of 9 or false 9 that emerges. After Salzburg (3-0) and when he had just made three starts, Gonçalo Ramos seemed launched and unstoppable. Not only has he not been a starter since but he has turned into an absolutely formidable joker since he scored against OL, Monaco and Lens after coming on. The Portuguese, if he is the victim of his profile of pure center forward, is somehow also a victim of his incredible joker skills while the bench players often struggle to be decisive. Hence this super replacement status that awaits him.
While PSG’s starting lineup is generally rather established, the last uncertainty of the day concerns the goalkeeper position with a real doubt between Donnarumma and Safonov. The Italian has clearly become the starter again in recent weeks but his exit after a spectacular head injury in Monaco leaves doubt as to his state of health. He assures him to be 100%, but the Russian could well continue after a very good match in Lens at the end of 2024. But with only three positions in the balance for this Champions Trophy, Paris already has a certain idea of its typical team for start 2025.
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