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Home Fantasy PSG vs MET, Ligue 1 2021/22: MPL Preview, Predictions & Fantasy Team

PSG vs MET, Ligue 1 2021/22: MPL Preview, Predictions & Fantasy Team

Paris Saint Germain will be up against Metz in the Ligue 1 encounter at the Parc des Princes on the 22nd of May. PSG will be hoping to end the 2021-2022 Ligue 1 campaign with a flourish when they welcome visitors Metz to the Parc des Princes in Paris on Saturday. The champions have the opportunity to end the season with 86 points following a win. Meanwhile, Les Grenats are destined to finish in the bottom three but will be desperate to avoid automatic relegation.

While PSG have added the customary Ligue 1 trophy to their cabinet, it is more or less taken for granted before every season. PSG’s disparity in squad value compared to the rest of the league is quite huge and it will be extremely surprising if they don’t win the French league in a given season. Therefore, with the bare minimum out of the way, Paris Saint Germain’s 2021-22 season will probably be remembered for the more unsavoury moments.

The tug of war between Real Madrid and PSG surrounding Kylian Mbappe’s future continues to rage on and the French striker has triggered a bidding war for his services. Rumours of the Parisian club offering him a salary to the tune of 100 million euros as well as making him privy to their administration matters such as recruiting of players and coaches have been doing the rounds in the media. This might have done enough to tilt Mbappe back into Paris after he had almost made up his mind to leave for Real Madrid this summer on a free transfer.

Besides the drama surrounding Mbappe’s future, fan discontent has also been a particularly negative part of the PSG season so far. Fans have been in open rebellion with the club following their embarrassing and humiliating exit from the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid in the last 16 stages. They’ve been booing superstars like Neymar and Messi and have also refused to take part in the title celebrations after PSG reclaimed the French top-flight crown.

Mauricio Pochettino seems to be on the way out as well this summer. his side may have taken the foot off the gas after confirming the league title, which is not doing his future in Paris any favours. However, following a string of poor results, PSG returned back to winning ways and did not show a shade of complacency against Montpellier away from home. Lionel Messi scored a brace of goals to take his league scoring tally to six, while Angel Di Maria and Mbappe also found the back of the net in a 4-0 routing of the opposition.

PSG are guaranteed to finish at least 12 points ahead of the chasing pack at the top of the table. Monaco and Marseille will be involved in a heated clash to be crowned the best of the rest. The feeling is that in Paris, all eyes are on the widely anticipated summer, which will usher in several changes and could possibly result in upheaval both on and off the pitch.

PSG will be bidding to avoid a third consecutive match without a win at home when they take on Metz. They have been held to stalemates by Lens and Troyes in their last two games at the Parc des Princes in Paris but will certainly be hopeful about ending the Ligue 1 campaign as the only club in the French top flight to remain unbeaten on home soil.

Across PSG’s most recent eight-match unbeaten streak, they’ve scored a whopping 26 goals. It might be towards the closing stages of the season but the trio of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar had started clicking. It’ll be a shame if Mbappe leaves the trio behind in his pursuit of greener pastures in Madrid next season.

Given that all three sides placed 18th or below in the league table are still within a shot at salvaging their top-flight status in France, Metz – who were seemingly confirmed to be going down with a whimper only a couple of months ago – have chosen the perfect time of the season to hit a rich vein of form.

Didier Lamkel Ze headed home the only goal of the night as Les Grenats claimed a solid 1-0 victory over Angers in what was their final home game of the season. In their last three matches, Frederic Antonetti’s side are unbeaten and have picked up two wins and a draw, right at the perfect time as the season draws to a close.

It will be interesting to see whether they have done enough to secure safety. However, going into the final match of the season, they are currently 18th in the league table. This spot would see them entering the relegation and promotion playoff matches with either Auxerre or Sochaux. Metz are level on points with Saint Etienne and three better than Bordeaux who are placed at the bottom of the table. However, they do have a significantly worse goal difference.

Therefore, an unlikely multiple-goal victory over PSG is also unlikely to do them and their goal difference any favours. However, Bordeaux and Saint Etienne both have extremely difficult fixtures as well against Brest away from home and Nantes at home respectively on the final day of the season.

While Frederic Antonetti’s men’s fate is still technically in their own hands, results going their way elsewhere could make the trip to the French capital quite insignificant in terms of results for Les Grenats. However, they have an extremely poor record against the league champions and are currently on a seven-match winless record against them away from home. They have lost 12 consecutive matches against the Parisian giants since 2006 and history is unlikely to be defied here as well.

PSG vs MET, Ligue 1 2021/22

Date: 22nd May, 2022

Time: 12:30 AM IST

Venue: Parc des Princes, Paris

FORM GUIDE:

Paris Saint Germain Ligue 1 form:

  • W-W-D-D-D-W

Paris Saint Germain form (all competitions):

  • W-W-D-D-D-W

Metz Ligue 1 form:

  • D-L-L-D-W-W

Metz form (all competitions):

  • D-L-L-D-W-W

HEAD-TO-HEAD:

Paris Saint Germain wins: 18

Draws: 1

Metz wins: 3

TEAM NEWS:

Paris Saint Germain Team News: PSG’s offensive duo of Mauro Icardi and Julian Draxler are expected to return to team training this week as they continue to recover from their respective injury problems. However, they aren’t expected to make it back in time for the final game of the season and Mauricio Pochettino will not find any reason to rush their return to the pitch anyway.

Abdou Diallo is expected to force his way back into the starting XI as Argentine midfield maestro Leandro Paredes will take a longer time to recover from groin surgery. Keylor Navas and Angel Di Maria are almost confirmed to be leaving the club this summer and Pochettino might hand them starts in what could be their last games in France.

PSG’s youngsters including the likes of Edouard Michut, Xavi Simons, and Djeidi Gassama might get some crucial minutes in the final match of the season. Simons may even be handed a start as speculation surrounding his future is rife as well. Neymar and Presnel Kimpembe are both back in the squad having served suspensions in the last game.

Idrissa Gueye’s absence against Montpellier has triggered controversy online. He was absent for ‘personal reasons’ before it was prompted that the midfielder refused to wear the matchday shirts in support of the LGBTQ+ movement which led to outrage on social media. However, Pochettino will be expected to welcome him back to the squad for the final match.

Metz Team News: While PSG have a couple of players returning after having served a suspension, Metz will be without their important forward Nicolas de Preville. He has accumulated too many yellow cards and as a result, Antonetti might be forced into making unwanted changes upfront in order to compensate for his absence.

Ibrahima Niane has fallen out of favour with the club’s hierarchy. Therefore, Louis Mafouta is expected to get the nod ahead of him. He is likely to start in the final third of the pitch alongside Lamkel Ze who has scored two goals in the last in the league.

The likes of Fabien Centonze, Habib Maiga, and Ibrahim Amadou will also be missed for the final match of the season. Pape Sarr will be making his final appearance for Metz before completing his permanent transfer to London-based side Tottenham Hotspur.

Paris Saint Germain possible starting lineup:

Navas; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Mendes; Simons, Verratti; Di Maria, Messi, Neymar; Mbappe

Metz possible starting lineup:

Caillard; Niakate, Bronn, Kouyate; Mikelbrencis, Sarr, Traore, Cande; Boulaya; Mafouta, Lamkel Ze

Predictions:

Lyon had made a grave mistake of underestimating a Metz side who were fighting for their very lives at the bottom of the table earlier this month. Metz have been in a rich vein of form over the last few matches and will be expected to take the charge to the side from the capital in order to confirm their relative safety. However, the absence of De Preville is expected to be a sore and bitter blow as Metz hope to stop their losing streak against PSG.

The pressure is off the shoulders of the PSG players going into the final match of the season. Mauricio Pochettino will be expected to conclude a tumultuous and chaotic season without any upsets. PSG have way too many resources in their squad and are the overwhelming favourites to end the season with a victory here, leaving Metz to pray for results going their way elsewhere.

PSG vs MET Fantasy XI No. 1

PSG vs MET Fantasy XI No. 2

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