Kylian Mbappé has made an early return to Paris Saint-Germain following his Golden Boot-winning exploits in Qatar, but Lionel Messi - who won the FIFA World Cup, beating Mbappé's France in the final - has been given the RC Strasbourg Alsace game off.
Paris Saint-Germain - RC Strasbourg Alsace
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PSG's star men were also the best players at the World Cup this winter. Mbappé scored a tournament high eight goals - three of them coming in an exhilarating final in which les Bleus surrendered their title on penalties after a 3-3 draw - while Messi had seven goals and three assists on the way to Argentina lifting the trophy.
Mbappé back
Mbappé made a beeline for Paris after his disappointment in Lusail Stadium, and has already featured in mid-season friendly wins over Paris FC and US Quevilly-Rouen Métropole, so he is fit and raring to go at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday evening.
Watch: Highlights of PSG's 5-0 thrashing of Auxerre
"We're very happy to see him again," head coach Christophe Galtier said of his returning talisman. "Kylian had a huge tournament. He was disappointed not to lift the most beautiful of trophies even if he was the top scorer. He wanted to get back in touch with the group very quickly and prepare for the upcoming deadlines. We're very, very happy to see him.
"We worked hard during this 20-day break. It's new for everyone, even though I believe we were one of the best-represented teams at the World Cup."
Portuguese problems
As well as Messi, right-back Achraf Hakimi is likely to be rested after helping Morocco to a fourth-place finish. Presnel Kimpembe is a long-term absentee with an Achilles injury, while the champions will be without Portuguese pair Nuno Mendes and Danilo Pereira due to a muscular problem and fracture rib respectively.
PSG begin the day five points clear of second-best RC Lens at the top of the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table, with Strasbourg 30 points and 18 places away in 19th, although only one win away from pulling out of the relegation places, depending on other results.
Watch: Highlights of Strasbourg's 1-1 draw with Lorient
It's not a three points le Racing will be optimistic of picking up, having last beat Paris back in February 2005 when Yacine Abdessadki, Mickaël Pagis and Mamadou Niang fired them to a 3-1 win at the Stade de la Meinau long before the Qatar-backed era in the French capital.
Injury-ravaged
Recent history hasn't been much kinder to Strasbourg, and Julien Stéphan has an injury-ravaged squad to contend with, with each of Maxime Le Marchand, Dimitri Liénard, Thomas Delaine, Colin Dagba and Nordine Kandil struggling.
The visitors are also without suspended pair Alexander Djiku and Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel, which means Karol Fila is in line for his first league start of the season in the back three, with midfielders Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Adrien Thomasson asked to deputise in the wing-back positions.
Possible teams
PSG: Donnarumma; Mukiele, Marquinhos, Ramos, Bernat; Soler, Veratti, Vitinha; Neymar, Mbappé; Ekitiké
Strasbourg: Sels; Perrin, Nyamsi, Fila; Bellegarde, Sissoko, Prcic, Aholou, Thomasson; Gameiro, Ajorque
