Paris Saint-Germain – Angers SCO Wednesday at 2100 CET (2000 GMT)

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Messi was given two weeks off by his club after leading Argentina to glory in Qatar last month, returning to the training ground last Wednesday when he was given a guard of honour by his teammates. The 35-year-old did not play any part in PSG’s Coupe de France win at Châteauroux last Friday but he did train normally on Tuesday and the expectation is that he will feature against Angers, although how long he plays for remains to be seen.

The return of the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has scored 12 goals in 19 appearances this season in all competitions, is a timely boost for coach Christophe Galtier with Neymar Jr. currently undergoing treatment on the ankle he injured in Brazil’s first game at the World Cup.

That injury did not stop the world’s most expensive player from returning for the knockout rounds in Qatar and he also played in PSG’s first game back after the long hiatus when they hosted RC Strasbourg Alsace on December 28. However, he was sent off in that game and therefore missed the following 3-1 defeat at RC Lens on New Year’s Day due to suspension. Neymar was then rested against Châteauroux and has spent recent days undergoing physio.

Highlights: PSG unbeaten record ended by Lens

With a big game coming on Sunday away to Stade Rennais FC before PSG travel next midweek to Qatar and then on to Saudi Arabia for a friendly match in Riyadh, Galtier may seek to keep Neymar back here against struggling opponents. Nevertheless there is also the possibility that Kylian Mbappé will again be rested, as he was for the Châteauroux game.

Ligue 1’s leading scorer spent time last week in New York with his friend and teammate Achraf Hakimi, meaning they also missed the Coupe de France tie, when a largely second-string side toiled against third-tier opponents before eventually easing to victory thanks to late goals by Carlos Soler and Juan Bernat.

Significant changes are expected to the Paris starting line-up, with Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos and Danilo Pereira all contenders to return to the team. Marco Verratti is out with a thigh injury while Presnel Kimpembe and Nuno Mendes are still on the sidelines, although Renato Sanches is now back in full training.

Nine defeats in a row for Angers

PSG’s unbeaten record this season was ended in their last league game at Lens, when their lead over Les Sang et Or at the top of the table was cut to just four points. But it would be a huge shock if the capital club slipped up here, given that they are unbeaten at the Parc des Princes in all competitions since April 2021, except for a Coupe de France loss on penalties to OGC Nice a year ago.

Angers, in stark contrast, are bottom of the table, seven points from safety. They are on a shocking run of nine successive league defeats, including back-to-back losses since Abdel Bouhazama was handed the reins of the first team following the sacking of coach Gérald Baticle during the World Cup break.

Highlights: Angers lose to Lorient

They were given a boost in the Coupe de France last weekend when they won on penalties away to Strasbourg after a goalless draw, but they will hope to at least avoid a heavy defeat that would further damage morale before they embark on a kinder run of fixtures starting at home to Clermont Foot 63 on Sunday.

“We have just stopped a negative spiral of results so we have to be pleased about that. That can give the lads some confidence again,” said Bouhazama, who was made coach on a permanent basis last week.

Moroccan World Cup stars Azzedine Ounahi and Sofiane Boufal have still not featured for Angers since the tournament, with both being strongly linked with moves away from the club in the January transfer window.

Probable teams

Paris SG: Donnarumma; Mukiele, Marquinhos (c), Ramos, Bernat; Zaïre-Emery, Danilo Pereira, Vitinha; Messi; Ekitiké, Neymar

Angers: Bernardoni; Bamba, Hountondji, Blazic, Doumbia; Mendy, Bentaleb; Capelle (c), Hunou, Abdelli; Sima