Champions League game against Malmo on
Wednesday, Laurent Blanc has confirmed
Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc has revealed Marco
Verratti is out of the Champions League tie against Malmo on
Wednesday.
The Ligue 1 champions can guarantee their progression from
Group A to the next round with a win in Sweden, but Verratti will
be unavailable.
PSG beat Lorient 2-1 on Saturday to tighten their grip at the top
of Ligue 1, recording an eighth straight league win and their fifth
successive victory at Stade du Moustoir.
Angel di Maria, Ezequiel Lavezzi, David Luiz and Javier Pastore
sat out the match along with Verratti, who is recovering from an
ankle injury suffered earlier this month.
Hervin Ongenda netted his first league goal for PSG to open the
scoring after 25 minutes and Blaise Matuidi doubled the lead
soon afterwards, converting a low cross from Zlatan
Ibrahimovic.
Before the match there was an emotional rendition of French
national anthem La Marseillaise, while PSG's players wore
special shirts to commemorate those who lost their lives in the
terror attacks in Paris last Friday.
Blanc confirmed the last week had been tough, telling the media
after the Lorient win that he has not wanted to talk about
football.
"I really want to return to Paris and meet my family," said the
coach, who threatened to storm out of his pre-match news
conference due to persistent questioning about the attacks.
Blanc praised his young players, with Ongenda handed a
surprise and rare start in place of the out-of-form Edinson
Cavani, while Presnel Kimpembe started in defence with Luiz
rested.
"It's very satisfying because [we] had some young players today
who have had the opportunity to demonstrate their talent,
potential and this is also interesting for the future," Blanc said.
Ongenda added: "It's very nice, it was a long time since I played
in Ligue 1."
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