This Friday, November 22, Paris Saint-Germain (1st) take on Toulouse (10th) at the Parc des Princes(kick-off 9pm, broadcast on DAZN) as part of Matchday 12 of Ligue 1 2024-2025. And as before every match, here’s a presentation of the Parisians’ opponents.
The Toulouse situation –
Having arrived in the summer of 2023 to replace Philippe Montanier, who had finished in a very respectable 13th place with 48 points, while winning the Coupe de France, coach Carles Martinez Novell has rather succeeded in establishing himself with a rather interesting game and a rather positive position for this club which doesn’t seem (yet?) armed for the European battle.
The Toulousans are in 10th place, 5 points behind 3rd-placed Marseille and just as far ahead of 16th-placed Saint-Etienne. The key will be to maintain a minimum of regularity, so as not to be too close to the worrying positions.
The 2024 summer mercato –
Source: Transfermarkt.
Departures:
Arrivals:
Key statistics –
This season, Toulouse is among the league’s 12th-best attackers with 13 goals scored (the leader, PSG, is 33 and the last, Le Havre, is 8), and is among the 4th-best defenders with 11 goals conceded (Monaco is 1st with 8 goals conceded and the last, Montpellier, is 31).
Toulouse’s top scorer is Zakaria Aboukhlal (24-year-old striker), who is 13th in the league with 4 goals (Ligue 1’s top scorer is Bradley Barcola with 10). Djibril Sidibé (32-year-old right-back) is Toulouse’s top passer with 2 assists, ranking 21st in Ligue 1 (João Neves and Marco Asensio are first with 5 assists).
Toulouse’s last 5 games –
Only Toulouse possession is shown and Toulouse shots are put first (when data is available).
- 05/10/2024 (Ligue 1) – Lille/Toulouse: 2-1. 3-4-2-1 formation. 42% possession. 9 shots including 3 on target vs. 10 shots (3 on target).
- 20/10/2024 (Ligue 1) – Toulouse/Angers: 1-1. In 4-2-3-1. 66% possession. 18 shots, including 6 on target, against 8 shots (4 on target).
- 27/10/2024 (Ligue 1) – Montpellier/Toulouse: 0-3. 3-4-2-1. 48% possession. 15 shots, including 6 on target, against 9 shots (2 on target).
- 03/11/2024 (Ligue 1) – Toulouse/Reims: 1-2. In 3-4-2-1. 51% possession. 13 shots including 6 on target vs. 13 shots (2 on target).
- 10/11/2024 (Ligue 1) – Rennes/Toulouse: 1-2. In 4-3-3. 33% possession. 9 shots including 1 on target vs. 7 shots (1 on target).
The squad and the probable team.
Absents – Nicolaisen, Lacombe, Wasbauer (blessures).
The team according to the press in 3-4-3 (L’Equipe):
Ghobo – King – Aboukhal
Suazo – Sierro – Casseres – Donnum
McKenzie – Cresswell – Sidibé
Restes.
Toulouse’s style of play.
Carles Martinez Novell, who came through Barcelona’s youth teams, likes to rely on a solid, compact block, with a game based on possession and passing.
There’s less rhythm and percussion than in other years, but the result is a fairly balanced team that’s hard to play against. However, TFC suffer from a lack of attacking talent, particularly following the debut of striker Dallinga, and could struggle to take advantage of Parisian misfires.
But PSG know that they must always be wary, and they mustn’t get frustrated or fall asleep against Toulouse if they are to avoid a nasty surprise.
