Reims vs. PSG score prediction, live stream: How to watch Neymar and Mbappe online, TV channel, news, odds
Paris Saint-Germain take on Stade de Reims in Ligue 1 on Saturday. Lionel Messi is out after being substituted in Wednesday’s 1-1 UEFA Champions League draw against SL Benfica. The Argentine produced an excellent performance for Les Parisiens as Christophe Galtier’s men remain at the top of Group H with the Portuguese. Messi made his PSG debut at Reims last season but will have a brief post here with a calf problem: “There will be changes,” Galtier announced on Friday. “We will travel by bus as he is close to home. Lionel Messi will not be with us in Reims but he will train again next Sunday. Kylian Mbappe has a neck problem but will travel.”
Here are our stories, how to watch the game and more:
How to see and odds
Date: Saturday October 8 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Stade Auguste Delaune – Reims, France
TV: beIN Sports | Live broadcast: fuboTV (try for free)
Opportunities: Rheims +800; Draw +450; PSG-333 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
storylines
Reims: Oscar Garcia’s men have had a difficult start to the season, sitting in the extended relegation zone with seven points from nine games. They have four games without a win and a 4-2 away win at Angers SCO was their only win of the season. Folarin Balogun is arguably the brightest spot in what has been a dark season so far, with six goals from nine games for the Arsenal loanee. Garcia himself won’t lead the team against PSG as he’s in Barcelona due to a family medical emergency.
PSG: The defending champions remain unbeaten after drawing against Benfica and beating OGC Nice last weekend, maintaining their two-point lead over second-place Olympique de Marseille. With the Portuguese coming back and OM coming next week, this is a crucial run in Les Parisiens’ early season and they can’t afford to drop points unexpectedly. By the end of next weekend we should know a lot more about PSG’s campaign so far and how well placed they are to keep up their fight for silverware on all fronts. An update on Messi’s fitness is due on Sunday.
“Nuno Mendes and Lionel Messi are missing, which will give players like Juan Bernat the chance to play,” Galtier said. “Kylian was already a bit shaky before Benfica. We’ll see if Hugo Ekitike is there from the start because he’s our other top striker. He knows Reims and his former team-mates and the stadium.”
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forecast
Choose: This one has an easy Paris win without having to shine too brightly. Balogun could pose some problems for an undermanned defence, but there’s no reason to doubt a solid but unspectacular PSG win. Expect Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to close the gap if Messi is forced to sit out the latter. Rheims 0, PSG 2.