Paris Saint-Germain – Olympique Lyon: The European Hangover (0-1)

Paris Saint-Germain hosted Olympique Lyon in a game tinged with bittersweet memories. PSG controlled the ball but offered up very few threats to a Lyon team that came with a clear plan on how to disrupt and exploit the league leaders. 
Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Hartland.

Before April had even begun Paris Saint-Germain were out of the cup and Champions League. It is also no secret that the league does not matter to the Parisians. They have won Ligue 1 eight times in the last ten years, what the owners and the players crave above all else is European success. It is the barometer to which a manager is appraised, and it is one that none has come close to succeeding in since Thomas Tuchel took them to the final three years ago.

The now-under-close-scrutiny manager Christophe Galtier set his PSG side up in a 3-5-2 formation with Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, and a back three of El Chadaille Bitshiabu, Marquinhos, and Danilo Pereira. The wing-backs Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi supported the midfield three of Renato Sanches, Marco Verratti, and Vitinha. In attack, the ever-present and terrifying Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi. 

Veteran coach Laurent Blanc changed from his usual use of a back four to match PSG with a 5-3-2 shape. Anthony Lopes returned in goal, with Saël Kumbedi and Nicolás Tagliafico as wing-backs alongside the back three of Sinaly Diomandé, Dejan Lovren, and Castello Lukeba. In midfield, Thiago Mendes, Rayan Cherki, and Johann Lepenant. Up front, Alexandre Lacazette partnered with Amin Sarr. 

A tactical battle
It became immediately clear why Lyon . . .