Paris Saint-Germain’s French midfielder Blaise Matuidi (C) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal during the French L1 match against Ajaccio (ACA) in the Francois Coty stadium in Ajaccio on Saturday. (AFP)
Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain continue their bid for an unprecedented haul of four trophies today when they travel to Bordeaux in the first of the League Cup quarter-finals.
Laurent Blanc’s expensively constructed squad have lost only one match in all competitions this season, as the PSG coach prepares to face the club he led to the French title in 2009. The capital side are five points clear of Cote d’Azur rivals Monaco after 14 wins in 20 league outings, while they tackle Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in the last-16 of the Champions League and recently cruised into the next round of the French Cup.
With a wealth of resources at his disposal, Blanc is likely to ring the changes with fringe squad players Javier Pastore, Jeremy Menez and Marquinhos likely to get game time against a resurgent Girodin side who have climbed to eighth in the table.
The fixture could also see former PSG striker and fan favourite Guillaume Hoarau face his old teammates after the former French international agreed terms with Francis Gillot’s side in recent weeks.
However, Gillot said he was unlikely to risk Hoarau from the start. “It’s a cup match so we could go to extra-time,” said Gillot.
“If he starts (Hoarau), he won’t be able to play more than an hour and I’ll have to take him off, which would leave me with only two changes,” warned the Bordeaux handler.
Having returned from a year-long spell in China with Dalian Aerbin, the striker is chomping at the bit to have a go at his former club and help his new team into the semi-finals.
“Paris, for any player or any club, remains a special kind of match,” said Hoarau.
“I played there for four years (38 goals in 114 matches) so of course I have an affection for the club. “After that, what I really want, without any bitterness, but with respect for what I did for them, is to play the best match I possibly can against them.
“It’s Paris and everyone wants to beat Paris,” he added.
Three quarter-finals are slated for Wednesday with Marseille, who won three League Cups in a row before Saint-Etienne triumphed last year, travelling to Lyon, Brittany hopefuls Nantes at home to Nice and Evian travelling to second division Troyes.
Evian caused a shock last season when they knocked out PSG on the way to their first French Cup final, only to lose 3-2 against Bordeaux.
However the club are struggling near the foot of the table this season and remain only three points above the relegation zone following their 2-1 home defeat against Marseille on Sunday.
FIXTURES
Tuesday
Bordeaux v Paris Saint-Germain (2000 GMT)
Wednesday
Nantes v Nice (1745), Troyes v Evian (1745), Lyon v Marseille (1955)