A surprise striker at PSG!

For PSG’s first match of the season, this Friday evening in Le Havre in the opening of Ligue 1, Luis Enrique started a young 16-year-old striker (who has not yet signed a professional contract).

This is the great story of the summer at PSG. While waiting for the arrival of a new attacking star, hoped for for many months with the departure at the end of Kylian Mbappé’s contract, the Parisian team launches the Ligue 1 season, this Friday evening on the pitch at Le Havre (8:45 p.m. on DAZN 1), with a surprise in the starting lineup. Luis Enrique thus places his trust in Ibrahim Mbaye, a player who is just 16 years old (he celebrated their birthday on June 30), who has never played professionally and who is still waiting to sign his first contract.

Born in Trappes and trained at PSG, Mbaye is an unstoppable winger. He started both of the Rouge et Bleu’s preparation matches against Sturm Graz and Leipzig in the last two weeks, with a goal to his name during the first outing in Austria.

Kolo Muani on the PSG bench

This surprise start in the attacking sector, probably on the left wing (with Lee Kang-In on the right), sends Randal Kolo Muani to the bench, with Gonçalo Ramos at the forefront of the attack. Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola, who did not start in the last preparation match, are on the bench.

Luis Enrique offered two other small surprises: captain Marquinhos and new signing Joao Neves (bought for 70 million euros, including bonuses, from Benfica) do not start the game at the Stade Océane. Pacho and Lucas Beraldo are partnered in central defence, while Yoram Zague, 18, starts on the left. In midfield, Warren Zaire-Emery and Vitinha will be accompanied by Marco Asensio, who could play a little higher in support of Ramos.

On the Normandy side, Didier Digard necessarily opts for a somewhat defensive formation, with Josué Casimir and Antoine Joujou in the offensive sector and Daler Kuzyaev as playmaker.