Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé was compared favourably to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the recent international break, having secured his first ever four-goal haul before it. Amiens SC, be warned!
Paris Saint-Germain – Amiens SC 
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PSG welcome Amiens to the Parc des Princes on Saturday already boasting an eight-point advantage over nearest challengers LOSC at the top of the Ligue 1 Conforama standings. The capital club thumped Olympique Lyonnais 5-0 before the international break; a game in which Mbappé scored his first ever four-goal haul.
The 19-year-old’s red-hot form continued in a France shirt over the last week, with the youngster coming on late to help salvage a 2-2 draw against Iceland in UEFA Nations League Group I before playing a starring role in Les Bleus‘ 2-1 win over Germany five days later.
‘Quickest player I’ve ever seen’
Iceland midfielder Johann Berg Gudmundsson was glowing in his praise of the former AS Monaco attacker, saying, “He’s definitely special. He’s the quickest player I’ve ever seen play, and I’ve played against [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi. As long as his head is right and he stays humble, I think he’ll be the best player in the world”.
Watch: Highlights of Mbappé’s first ever four-goal haul, against Lyon!
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Four PSG players lined up in the clash of world champions past and present, meanwhile, with Mbappé joined by clubmate Presnel Kimpembe for Les Bleus, with Thilo Kehrer and Julian Draxler playing opposite him for Die Mannschaft.
Three of the four are likely to feature against Amiens, but Kimpembe is suspended for the visit of Les Licornes having been sent off little more than half an hour into that 5-0 rout of Lyon. PSG coach Thomas Tuchel has a mostly full-strength team to call upon, though, with Christopher Nkunku’s and Colin Dagba’s groin strains denying him of two players who aren’t necessarily first choice anyway.
Luck turning for Les Licornes
Amiens make the two-hour drive south to the capital in 13th, 17 points worse off than their hosts coming into the Week 10 fixtures. Christophe Pélissier’s men have enjoyed a recent upturn in form after a stuttering start, though, with the 1-0 victory over Dijon FCO before the international break their second win in three games.
“It’s important to take points at this time,” explained Tuchel’s opposite number following Saman Ghoddos’ winner at the Stade Crédit Agricole la Licorne. “When I see players like Paulo [Ganso] and Mathieu [Bodmer] doing as much defensively as in attack, it’s very satisfying. Regarding Ghoddos’ goal, we know he has an incredible shot.”
Watch: Highlights of Amiens’ 1-0 win over Dijon
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Iran star Ghoddos was one of five internationals Amiens trained without on Monday – Poland’s Rafal Kurzawa, Sweden’s Emil Krafth, Senegal’s Moussa Konaté and Benin’s Khaled Adenon the others – so Pélissier will only have his entire squad together for one full day before making the trip to Paris.
Tired legs?
As if the odds weren’t heavily-enough stacked against the Hauts-de-France club, they will make the journey without much possibility of resting top scorers Ghoddos and Konaté, with Stiven Mendoza out with a thigh injury. Bongani Zungu has at least undergone successful cruciate ligament surgery, but won’t be back until the new year.
Amiens actually held the champions to a 2-2 draw the last time they met, at the back-end of Unai Emery’s reign in Paris. PSG are undefeated since a loss to Stade Rennais FC that same May, though, and are overwhelming favourites, whether Mbappé is as good as Berg Gudmundsson says or not.
Possible teams
PSG: Aréola; Meunier, Marquinhos, Silva, Bernat; Verratti, Rabiot; Mbappé, Neymar, Di Maria; Cavani
Amiens: Gurtner; Krafth, Adenon, Dibassy, Lefort; Gnahoré, Monconduit; Otero, Ganso, Ghoddos; Konaté
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