Bordeaux v Paris Saint-Germain: Champions eyeing another vintage performance

Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain turn attention back to their defence of the French title following midweek heroics on the continent as they visit Bordeaux.

PSG secured a place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday with a remarkable showing in their last-16 second leg against Chelsea.

The French capital club earned a 2-2 draw in extra time, levelling the tie at 3-3 and progressing on away goals despite seeing striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent off in the 31st minute at Stamford Bridge.

Laurent Blanc’s men played a full 90 minutes with a numerical disadvantage but controlled the game for long periods and managed to come from behind twice, with Thiago Silva’s 114th-minute header putting them through.

It remains to be seen how fresh PSG will be following that herculean effort, and Blanc will hope that his side do not suffer a hangover against his former club in a city regarded as the wine capital of the world.

The visitors will be without defender David Luiz – a goalscorer in midweek – due to a suspension handed down following his booking in the 4-1 win over Lens last Saturday.

Serge Aurier (thigh) and Lucas Moura (adductor) are still on the sidelines, although the latter is targeting a return at arch rivals Marseille in three weeks’ time.

Bordeaux will be minus the services of attacking midfielder Henri Saivet (thigh) and striker Cheick Diabate (knee) as they aim to boost their hopes of clinching a Europa League qualification spot.

The Garonne club – who won Ligue 1 and the Coupe de la Ligue in 2009 under Blanc – are sixth in the French top flight, two points adrift of fourth-placed Monaco.

However, Bordeaux are winless in their last 10 meetings with PSG, and boss Willy Sagnol is under no illusions as to the level of performance needed to end that run.

Sagnol said: “As a lover of football, it is regrettable that Chelsea didn’t try to play and PSG – before and after the red card – played very well and really applied themselves.

“There was a real plan behind the way that they played. Laurent Blanc can be very proud because he got the reward his work deserved.

“A game such as that is a goal for us here at Bordeaux. It can be used as a motivating factor for players to work even more, in anticipation of playing in the Champions League one day. 

“It will be complicated against PSG. They drew 2-2 with Chelsea and my players know what we have to do.

“We have to be better than Chelsea. We will go for it because we don’t know how fresh PSG are or if they will rotate. We’ll focus on our output and see what we can do.”