This Tuesday, first-place Paris Saint-Germain will face eighth-place Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena in Matchday 3 of the 2025-2026 Champions League (kick-off at 9 p.m., CET). RMC Sport has put forward a likely Parisian lineup that confirms the newspapers’ predictions, highlighting the uncertainty between Marquinhos (31-year-old central defender and captain) and Ilya Zabarnyi (23).
Barcola – Mayulu – Kvaratskhelia
Doué – Vitinha – Zaïre-Emery
Mendes – Pacho – Zabarnyi or Marquinhos – Hakimi
Chevalier
There doesn’t seem to be much doubt about the probable lineup, with Senny Mayulu (19) notably a potential starter as a false 9. This makes sense, as Le Titi is in form and has already started in this role in the first two Champions League matches, with some success.
However, we know that coach Luis Enrique knows how to surprise everyone, and the versatility of his players allows for numerous options. Désiré Doué (20) could play in this role, even though he has been more of a midfielder at the start of the season. There’s also Lee Kang-In (24), who can play two positions. He’s been benched by the media, but a starting spot wouldn’t be a huge surprise. There’s still the possibility of seeing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (24) or Bradley Barcola (23) on the bench, although that would be even more surprising. Finally, it’s worth noting that Ousmane Dembélé (28-year-old striker) is normally available, but we don’t expect him to start after returning from injury.
In defense, it’s impossible to be certain without being part of the coaching staff. This depends in particular on the players’ fitness and how they feel. Marquinhos is the captain, but he’s just returning from injury. However, Zabarnyi has also played a lot, and we have to be careful. Lucas Beraldo (21) remains an option.
