This Wednesday, on the first matchday of the 2025-2026 UEFA Champions League group stage, Paris Saint-Germain will face Atalanta at the Parc des Princes (kick-off at 9 pm, CET). Ahead of this match, the press has been speculating about the starting lineup that Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique will choose.
Le Parisien (4-3-3) –
Barcola – Ramos – Lee
Ruiz – Vitinha – Neves
Mendes – Pacho – Marquinhos – Hakimi
Chevalier
L’Equipe (4-3-3) –
Barcola – Ramos – Mbaye
Ruiz – Vitinha – Neves
Mendes – Pacho – Marquinhos – Hakimi
Chevalier
These are both plausible lineups, given the available players and the impressions gained from the match against Lens on Sunday. However, even with fewer options in attack due to the absences of Désiré Doué (20) and Ousmane Dembélé (28), it’s difficult to be certain. Coach Luis Enrique doesn’t reveal much to the press and is known for making unexpected choices.
That’s all to the good; he knows how to surprise the opposition after carefully analyzing the situation with his staff. There’s also daily competition within the squad that we can’t see. We’re eager to see the final result tonight. For example, there’s a possibility that Warren Zaïre-Emery (19, midfielder) could start in place of Fabián Ruiz (29, midfielder), who returned from injury on Sunday, even though the newspapers haven’t mentioned this.
