Paris Saint-Germain – OGC Nice: The Unbeaten Run Ends (1-3)

Thinking ahead to their Champions League clash in London, Paris Saint-Germain hosted a Nice side desperate to secure a good result to keep their European qualification hopes alive.

Tactical analysis and match report by Juan Lauz.

Already crowned champions, PSG’s main goal was to maintain and extend their historic unbeaten run in this Ligue 1 season, and more specifically, to prepare in the best possible way for their upcoming UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie against Arsenal, where they would travel to London next Tuesday to face the Gunners.

With all these factors at play, Luis Enrique fielded his best lineup to keep his players sharp. His 4-3-3 formation was able to shift into structures with five attackers, with Marquinhos and Willian Pacho as center-backs, and full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes. The midfield, considered one of Europe's revelations, was composed of Vitinha, João Neves, and Fabián Ruiz, playing behind the theoretical front three: Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Nice came into the match after a home win against Angers, although Franck Haise’s side had previously endured a five-match winless streak in Ligue 1, which had placed them on high alert during the decisive stretch of the season for European spots. Beyond the significance of ending PSG’s unbeaten run, a win would also provisionally move them into fourth place, granting access to the Champions League qualifying phase.

Haise set up his usual three-man defensive line, opting for a 5-3-2 formation, with Melvin Bard, Youssouf Ndayishimiye, and Mohamed Abdelmonem at the back, and Ali Abdi and Jonathan Clauss operating as . . .