Galtier, scheme, stars… what to expect before the first friendly match against Quevilly-Rouen?
PSG are playing their first friendly match of the season on Friday afternoon (5 p.m.), against Quevilly-Rouen (Ligue 2) at Camp des Loges. Christophe Galtier could test a system with three defenders concerned, announced at a press conference.
Ten days after returning to school, Paris Saint-Germain kick off their season with their first friendly match of the summer. From 5 p.m. this Friday, behind closed doors at Camp des Loges, the capital club faces Quevilly-Rouen, who escaped to Ligue 2 through the play-offs.
This is the baptism of fire of Christophe Galtier, freshly inducted coach to replace Mauricio Pochettino. “I measure very precisely the responsibility given to me. I prepared myself for it”, declared the French technician during his presentation to the press.
What tactical scheme?
This match is perhaps the opportunity to decelerate the first clues concerning his tactical guideline. Renowned for being a specialist in counter and defensive rigor, sometimes to the detriment of the show, Christophe Galtier has already committed to adopting “a different approach to the game” given the “very high level” players. at his disposal.
But it is also on his ability to develop a balanced system that he will be judged. How to create a coherent collective with star strikers Kylian Mbappé, Neymar and Lionel Messi? To this question, one of the reduced answers to the journalists seems to be the key: “I can tell you that there is a great orientation on a three-man defense”. The start of the season being less than a month, the scheme adopted against the Normans is undoubtedly very likely to be that used on August 6 in Clermont for the first day of Ligue 1.
With which players?
As far as the choice of players is concerned, it is often difficult to learn lessons from the first friendly match. The fault in particular with the differences of preparation. While most of the players returned to Camp des Loges on July 4, which is notably the case for Neymar and Lionel Messi, others provided additional vacation days. Given their international calendar, Kylian Mbappé, Presnel Kimpembe and Pablo Sarabia did not return to training until July 11. This risks having consequences on their playing time against Quevilly-Rouen, even if Mbappé did not wait to find his teammates to get back on his feet and touch the leather.
Depending on the minutes granted, Christophe Galtier could still not confirm the status of these players that the new sports management would like to exfiltrate during this transfer window. “We have to reduce the squad, we have talked about it a lot with the management, because the players who do not play are unhappy. We have to find the right size of squad so that everyone can participate this season”, said elsewhere warned the former coach of Losc and OGC Nice. At the same time, as always, positive signals could be sent to some young people at the training center. Indications could also be data on the future use of rookie Vitinha, of which it is not yet known whether he will be in competition with Marco Verratti or associated with the latter.
Direction Japan
Facing the Parisians, the Quevilly-Rouen players are slightly more advanced in their preparation. They have already played a first friendly, on July 9 against Le Havre (2-1 defeat). At the controls: Olivier Echouafni, who had led the women’s section of PSG to the title of champion of France in 2021.
The day after this meeting, PSG will fly to Japan, in order to carry out a summer tour there. Three friendly matches are scheduled. On the programme: Kawasaki Frontale (Wednesday July 20 – 12:30 p.m. French time), Urawa Red Diamonds (Saturday July 23 – 12:00 p.m.) and Gamba Osaka (Monday July 25 – 12:00 p.m.). The first official meeting will be held on July 31, in Tel Aviv for the Champions Trophy against FC Nantes, winner of the Coupe de France.