Villareal (Spain) (AFP) – Still deprived of four executives, Paris SG will test the resources of its squad in the Champions League, at Villarreal on Tuesday (9:00 p.m.), to extend its European domination after a first conclusive test in Ligue 1 on Friday.
Published on: 03/11/2026 - 08:29
So far, the absences of Ousmane Dembélé, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, all injured, the last of whom was cited for a long period, have posed no problem for Paris Saint-Germain, who continued their champion pace by beating Lyon (2-0) then Le Havre (5-1).
And even if Villarreal does not play in the same category as the double European champion, the level will rise significantly compared to Ligue 1 at the Stade de la Céramique and its public adorned in yellow.
So for this first European match since the avalanche of injuries suffered against FC Barcelona (4-2), Luis Enrique could be tempted to return to a more classic team and put a pause on his experiments on the national scene - such as the positioning of Maghnes Akliouche as a sentry in midfield.
This could be an opportunity for several players to show themselves and confirm that they are credible options to replace those absent, or even compete with them in the medium term: Mika Godts, scorer in the last two matches and increasingly comfortable, Maghnes Akliouche, who was already in the balance with "Kvara" before his injury, or even Ferran Torres, looking for a second wind after a thunderous debut.
Behind the offensive line, Illia Zabarnyi, caught off pace during Le Havre's only goal on Friday evening, must raise his level of play in the absence of Marquinhos, whom he has never managed to put in competition since his arrival last season.
Getting closer to 8th grade
An excellent replacement for Nuno Mendes against Lamine Yamal's FC Barcelona, Lucas Hernandez will have the opportunity to continue his revival within the Parisian club.
To supervise this revamped team, three players in great shape should act as bosses: Désiré Doué, irresistible for several weeks, Vitinha, leader back at the peak of his football and Achraf Hakimi, sparkling against Le Havre.
Aside from individual cases, a success halfway through the league phase would allow PSG to move closer to direct qualification for the round of 16 which has eluded them in the last two seasons, and thus spare themselves two additional matches in their quest for a European treble.
Opposite Paris stands the Yellow Submarine, a key club in Spain, winner of the Europa League in 2021 and semi-finalist of the Champions League twice (2006, 2022), in a relatively small town (around 50,000 inhabitants).
Third in La Liga in 2025-2026, Villarreal has been less flamboyant since the start of the season (8th with 12 points, fifteen points off the podium). On the European scene, Inigo Pérez's players had a very tough schedule, punctuated by two defeats in Dortmund (3-2) and Liverpool (4-3), but also a success against Naples (3-1) in its Ceramic Stadium.
The young Spanish coach (38 years old) compared the Parisian club on Monday afternoon to "a steamroller" against which we must play "without complexes, otherwise he will feel this fear and it will not forgive".
© 2026 AFP
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