Paris Saint-Germain v Dijon (Kick-off 1730 CET, Saturday)

Neymar was handed a one-match suspension after being sent off for a second yellow card in last Sunday’s 4-3 win over Girondins de Bordeaux which allowed Thomas Tuchel’s team to move 13 points clear of Olympique de Marseille at the top of the Ligue 1 Conforama table with 12 games remaining.

Having complained of not getting enough game time in the build-up to the Champions League last 16, first leg against Borussia Dortmund because of a rib injury, the world’s most expensive player will therefore be forced to watch from the stands here before being able to return for the Coupe de France semi-final away at Olympique Lyonnais next midweek.

Saturday’s game is one of just three PSG have left to play before they welcome Dortmund to the capital on March 11 looking to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit. Therefore, while another domestic title already looks to be in the bag, Tuchel will be eager for his team to use Dijon’s visit to iron out some of the defensive frailties that have been on display in recent weeks, in the knowledge that Erling Braut Haaland and the other members of the Dortmund attack will be primed to punish any slack defending in the Champions League.

Paris have conceded 13 goals in six games since their last clean sheet in the 5-0 win over Montpellier Hérault SC at the end of January. They have let in nine in their last three league games, although they have scored four goals in each of those matches. Their total of 24 goals conceded in 26 league games means that, while they came into the weekend on top of the table, they did not boast the best defence - Stade de Reims had let in just 20 goals coming into the weekend. It is also PSG’s worst goals-against record at this stage of a season since 2011-12, the first season of the Qatari era. Indeed, their total of 32 goals conceded in 41 matches in all competitions is more than they let in the entirety of the 2015-16 campaign (31 in 59 outings).

“The best thing is that we won. We can use that as a foundation on which to improve, analyse things and use this week to work on in training,” Tuchel said after the Bordeaux game in response to questions about his defence.

Unhappy memories

Thiago Silva is set to miss the Dortmund second leg with a thigh injury, while Ander Herrera has been ruled out for at least six weeks with a thigh problem, and PSG do have selection issues for this meeting with a Dijon side who won 2-1 in Burgundy when the teams last met in the league in early November. Paris have not lost a league game since then, and they also won 6-1 when they went back to Dijon in the Coupe de France quarter-finals earlier this month.

Dijon also have less than happy memories about recent visits to Paris. They have lost all of their four previous visits to the Parc des Princes in Ligue 1 by a combined score of 17-0, including a 4-0 loss last season and a 8-0 hammering in January 2018, when Neymar scored four times. The Burgundy side will come with no expectations, although they ended last weekend clear of the relegation play-off place only on goal difference so are in need of points.

Stéphane Jobard’s side are fresh from holding AS Monaco to a 1-1 draw at home, where they have claimed some fine results this season. However, their away record is a different story, with just one win in 13 games on the road so far. That came at Reims in September.

“We have still never scored a goal at the Parc des Princes, and PSG have scored in every game this season except against Reims (a 2-0 defeat in September). That shows how big a challenge we face,” said Jobard. “Hopefully we won’t be inhibited from playing by the context and the opposition. I want us to try to play football, to try to be bold.”

Dijon are not helped by injury problems. First-choice goalkeeper Alfred Gomis is out long-term, while Mounir Chouiar has been ruled out for several weeks after coming off with an ankle injury last weekend, and recent recruit Yassine Benzia is also sidelined.

Probable teams

Paris SG: Navas; Kehrer, Diallo, Kimpembe, Bernat; Sarabia, Gueye, Marquinhos, Di Maria; Cavani, Mbappé

Dijon: Runarsson; Chafik, Ecuele Manga, Aguerd, Mendyl; Amalfitano, Ndong, Lautoa; Sammaritano; Tavares, Baldé