Star forward Kylian Mbappé is absent with illness as the Ligue 1 Uber Eats leaders Paris Saint-Germain take on champions Lille at the Parc des Princes on Friday evening.
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN - LILLE (kick-off at 19:00 GMT on Friday evening)
>> LIVE STATS, SCORING AND COMMENTARY
Mbappé's minor illness means Lionel Messi, who missed Thursday's team training session with a muscular problem, could start at centre-forward. Coach Mauricio Pochettino said: "We'll see on Friday whether he'll be ready. Leo is the best player in the world and he has an impressive ability to read the game. He knows the position of playing on the right very well, and will always come centrally. He can play centrally behind a forward or as a false nine. With his ability to read the game he can play any position on the field."
PSG hope to have Mbappé back for next week's Champions League trip to RB Leipzig but on Friday night will have to cope without their five-goal top scorer. A first Ligue 1 goal for Messi coupled with a return to form for Neymar, the world's most expensive player, would go a long way to compensating for the French international's absence.
Pochettino: "We must do better"
Pochettino commented: "Our desire as a coaching staff is to give 'Ney' the best tools so that his performances get better day by day. He's a very creative player and an impressive talent. I'm happy with him. We know that we are capable of much better as a team. The idea is to head in that direction. We are top of the league and top of our Champions League group but we know that we must do better."
Beaten by Lille in the Trophée des Champions in Jocelyn Gourvennec's first game in charge of the French champions, PSG have lost both of their most recent meetings to the northern club, falling 1-0 on both occasions. Xeka scored the winner in the Trophée des Champions, while Jonathan David - joint-top scorer in the division with seven goals - netted the only goal in a crunch league game at the Parc des Princes in April.
Pochettino added: "Lille are a very strong side with excellent players in their squad. They deserved to take the title. We could have done much better last season. We're expecting a difficult match but we are ready mentally and ready to play well in order to win."
Yilmaz apology
Burak Yilmaz, Lille's 16-goal top scorer last season, has only netted twice in the league this campaign and showed his frustration by storming off straight to the dressing room when withdrawn 15 minutes from the end of the 1-1 draw with Brest. Gourvennec said: "We saw each other and he explained that he was frustrated with us being level against Brest. He has the desire to do a lot for the team. He apologised. The president Olivier Létang spoke to him as well. I told him it was important for us to stay united. We need to conserve our energy for scoring goals."
PSG right-back Achraf Hakimi is suspended following his red card in the 0-0 draw at Marseille last Sunday. Midfielder Benjamin André misses out for the visitors through suspension and centre-half Sven Botman is short of match fitness.
Probable Teams:
Paris Saint-Germain: Donnarumma; Kehrer, Marquinhos, Kimpembe, Nuno Mendes; Gueye, Danilo, Wijnaldum; Di Maria, Messi, Neymar
Lille: Grbic; Celik, Fonte, Djalo, Reinildo; Weah, Sanches, Onana, Bamba; David, Yilmaz
