This Friday, October 30, Paris Saint-Germain (1st) will face Le Havre (18th) at the Stade Océane (kick-off at 7:00 PM, CET) as part of Matchday 9 of the 2026-2027 Ligue 1 season. As is the case before every match, here is a look at the Parisians’ opponents.
Le Havre’s Situation –
Le Havre returned to Ligue 1 in the summer of 2023, having dominated the 2022/2023 Ligue 2 campaign following a more than 10-year absence from the top flight. Since then, the club has been fighting to remain in the division, despite a rather limited budget.
This success was achieved through excellent work—most notably by Matthieu Bodmer, a former PSG player who served as sporting director. However, Bodmer departed this summer following disagreements with Blue Crow Sports (the club’s owners since June 2025). He has been replaced by Demba Ba, who now supports head coach Didier Digard—another former PSG midfielder—who took the helm in 2024, succeeding Luka Elsner. The challenge, however, remains immense, given the club’s particularly constrained budget.
The start of the season—marked by 2 draws and 6 defeats—has set the tone for the campaign ahead. They will need to pull off something special to secure a result. Perhaps all it will take is for a few matches to swing in their favor; after all, the Le Havre side is still showing some promising signs. Things can change very quickly.
The 2026 Summer Transfer Window –
Source: Transfermarkt.
Departures:
Arrivals:
Key statistics –
This season, Le Havre ranks 16th in Ligue 1 for goals scored, with 8 (the leader, Rennes, has 18, while the bottom side, Troyes, has 5). Defensively, they rank 13th, having conceded 15 goals (Lille and Lorient boast the best defensive records, with 6 goals conceded, while Auxerre sits at the bottom, having conceded 18).
Le Havre’s top scorer is 27-year-old forward Josh Maja, who has 3 goals—placing him 20th in the league (the Ligue 1 leader, Esteban Lepaul, has 7). Sota Nakamura, a 24-year-old forward, is the club’s top assist provider; with 2 assists, he ranks 24th in Ligue 1 (Florian Thauvin leads the league with 8).
Le Havre’s last 5 matches –
Only Le Havre’s possession percentage is shown, and their shot statistics are listed first (where data is available).
12/09/2026 (Ligue 1) – Le Havre vs. Angers: 0-0. Formation: 4-3-3. 45% possession. 10 shots (6 on target) vs. 9 shots (2 on target).
19/09/2026 (Ligue 1) – Toulouse vs. Le Havre: 3-2. Formation: 3-4-2-1. 44% possession. 10 shots (5 on target) vs. 10 shots (5 on target).
10/10/2026 (Ligue 1) – Lille vs. Le Havre (Le Havre down to 10 men in the 61st minute, trailing 1-0): 1-0. Formation: 4-3-3. 55% possession. 15 shots, 3 on target, compared to 5 shots (1 on target).
18/10/2026 (Ligue 1) – Le Havre vs. Auxerre: 1-3. Played in a 3-4-2-1 formation. 53% possession. 13 shots, 6 on target, compared to 11 shots (6 on target).
25/10/2026 (Ligue 1) – Marseille vs. Le Havre: 4-3. Played in a 5-3-2 formation. 47% possession. 19 shots, 6 on target, compared to 10 shots (5 on target).
The squad:
Out – Mpasi, Jelert, Pembélé, Zagadou, Mambimbi (injury)
Probable lineup (3-5-2):
Fofana – Maja
N’Diaye – Mizuta – R. N’Diaye – Ebonogo – Ouziad
Touba – Mwanga – Seko
Bodart
Le Havre’s style of play:
Le Havre stands out for its ability to switch tactical formations while maintaining a consistent style of play. They aim to impose an aggressive defensive block on their opponents, without necessarily prioritizing ball retention afterward. Their main struggles are in the attacking phase, though they can be dangerous during transitions. The scenario for PSG seems clear: they will need to be patient, set a high tempo, and remain fully focused.
Beware—Didier Digard might attempt a high-pressing approach, at least at times, hoping to catch PSG off guard, especially if the Parisians’ minds are already drifting toward the Champions League. Furthermore, the specific positioning of their players is difficult to predict. In any case, coach Luis Enrique is pushing his team to be capable of adapting to any tactical setup.
