With PSG dropping more points than usual the Ligue 1 title race could be close
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PARIS (AP) — With defending champion Paris Saint-Germain dropping more points than usual, French soccer fans may finally get a proper title race in Ligue 1.
Entering this weekend’s 11th round, the top six teams are separated by only two points. This has not happened since 2010 in a season won by Lille just months before Qatari investors bought PSG.
PSG has lost once and drawn three times, giving it a precarious one-point lead over second-placed Monaco.
Marseille, Strasbourg, Lyon and Lens are one point behind Monaco.
Key matchups
PSG coach Luis Enrique must decide whether to rotate players for the home game against Nice, which has won its past three league games and sits in eighth spot. Slumping PSG has drawn three of its past four league games.
Monaco coach Sébastien Pocognoli looks to make it five games unbeaten since replacing the erratic Adi Hütter. Monaco hosts a resilient Paris FC which rallied from 3-0 down to draw against Lyon on Wednesday.
Marseille travels to next-to-last Auxerre on Saturday with coach Roberto De Zerbi in no mood for another slip.
Although Marseille has beaten PSG this season, the side remains inconsistent and still struggles in defense.
De Zerbi is feeling exasperated.
“We have to decide who we want to be: The team that played against PSG or one that changes with the weather,” De Zerbi was reported as saying after the Angers draw.
Players to watch
Herba Guirassy’s two goals in a 5-3 defeat to Monaco on Wednesday saw him become the youngest player to score a brace for Nantes in the top flight.
The winger will look to follow that performance when Nantes hosts rock-bottom Metz on Sunday.
Guirassy came through the Nantes academy and is the younger brother of prolific Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy.
Maghnes Akliouche’s sparkling performance for Monaco against Nantes — a goal, an assist and plenty of driving runs from deep — was a long-awaited return to form for the highly rated attacking midfielder.
Strasbourg looks to have found a gem in attack with new signing Joaquin Panichelli leading the scoring chart with nine goals. The Alsace-based side is at Rennes on Sunday.
Out of action
PSG forward Désiré Doué is out for several weeks after tearing a muscle in his right thigh during the 1-1 draw at Lorient on Wednesday.
Marseille is without midfielder Bilal Nadir, who collapsed during the second half in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Angers.
Marseille said hospital tests were reassuring and Nadir’s health was not in danger. However, he remained under observation.
Off the field
PSG is getting richer, with revenue last season hitting 837 million euros ($976 million) last season.
The club was valued by Forbes at $4.6 billion in May.
One major hurdle to generating far more match day revenue is the Parc des Princes stadium. It holds about 48,500 spectators and the club wants a 60-000-seat stadium to match other leading European clubs.
PSG does not own the stadium because Paris City Hall does and Mayor Anne Hidalgo has no intention of selling.
So PSG may have to build a new stadium elsewhere. But in doing so it would have to move out of the city and into the outskirts, in Passy or Massy.
Such a move may not please its historical fan base.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer