PSG’s Luis Enrique Shakes Up Lineup for Match Against Nice

PARIS, France — In a surprising move, Paris Saint-Germain head coach Luis Enrique has opted to start Ousmane Dembélé on the bench as his team prepares to face Nice on Saturday at 5 p.m. This decision comes just three days before PSG‘s crucial UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich.

Instead of Dembélé, Senny Mayulu leads PSG’s attack as part of the starting lineup for the eleventh week of Ligue 1. Enrique’s choice raises eyebrows, especially with Dembélé being the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner.

Defensively, Enrique has made additional changes, bringing Ilya Zabarnyi into the central defense, replacing Marquinhos, while Joao Neves will make his first start since suffering an injury on September 14 against Lens. Young talent Warren Zaïre-Emery continues his run in midfield, while veteran Fabian Ruiz finds himself on the bench.

The confirmed lineup for PSG is as follows: Chevalier; Hakimi (captain), Zabarnyi, Pacho, N. Mendes; Zaïre-Emery, Vitinha, J. Neves; Barcola, Mayulu, Kvaratskhelia.

Meanwhile, Nice’s formation appears to be quite defensive, likely featuring five at the back with Isak Jansson as the sole forward. The lineup for Nice includes: Diouf; A. Mendy, Oppong, Bah, Bard, Abdi; Louchet, Boudaoui, Sanson, Gouveia; Jansson.

As the match draws nearer, all eyes will be on the tactics both teams employ and how they respond to the pressure of the league and European competition.