The China Mail - Ramos nears PSG return as Sampaoli makes Rennes bow

Bradley Barcola has emerged as PSG's chief attacking threat this season and is the league's top scorer with 10 goals, but the lack of a reliable centre-forward remains an issue for Luis Enrique -- particularly in the Champions League.

While the French champions are six points clear of Monaco in Ligue 1, they languish outside the top 24 in the new single-table format in Europe, with a trip to Bayern Munich coming up next Tuesday.

Before that comes the visit of a resurgent Toulouse, winners of their past three games after a rough start to the campaign and the only team to beat PSG in their last 40 league matches.

Toulouse beat PSG 3-1 in May to spoil Kylian Mbappe's final game at the Parc des Princes, albeit with the title long since wrapped up by that stage.

It was hoped Ramos, who scored 14 times overall last season, would establish himself as the spearhead of the PSG attack, but he went down with ankle ligament damage in the opening day win over Le Havre in August.

"He's in the final phase of his recovery. When will he be available? I don't know, I'll see him at training. He's doing very well already. He just needs to sharpen up so he can play in matches," PSG coach Luis Enrique said on Thursday.

Monaco could slice the gap at the top in half if they beat fellow Champions League participants Brest earlier on Friday, while Marseille must bounce back from a disheartening home defeat by Auxerre.

"If I'm the problem, I'm ready to leave. I'll leave the money and hand back my contract," raged Marseille coach Roberto de Zerbi after their 3-1 loss to the promoted side a fortnight ago.

Lens host Marseille on Saturday before Lyon, who face a transfer ban and have been threatened with relegation over the club's debts, bid to extend their unbeaten run to seven matches.

Sampaoli, a 2015 Copa America winner with Chile who spent 16 months at Marseille between 2021 and 2022, begins his mission to turn around a spluttering Rennes outfit against Lille on Sunday.

Rennes have lost six of 11 games and sit only a point above the relegation play-off spot.

"Our job here will be to comfort a group of footballers so they don't feel uncomfortable on the pitch, but have fun and play with much more energy," the 64-year-old Sampaoli said following his appointment last week.

"I'm very passionate about being here and having this great challenge."

One to watch: Joshua King

The one-time Manchester United prospect has played a critical role in turning around Toulouse's early struggles in his first season in French football.

Now 32, the Norway international had spent practically his entire career in England before a two-year spell with Fenerbahce, distinguishing himself with Bournemouth in the Premier League.

After taking just three points from five matches, Toulouse are unbeaten in four ahead of their trip to PSG, with King on target in three of those games.

"When you arrive at a new club, especially at the end of the transfer window, you need a bit of time to settle. That's normal and it's what I said a few days before scoring," King told the Ligue 1 website.

Key stats

6 - Defeats suffered by Brest this term, only one fewer than last season's total when they finished a club-best third to qualify for the Champions League.

10 - Strasbourg have dropped the most points after scoring the opening goal in a game this season.

17 - Successive matches in which Montpellier have conceded at least one goal. Their last clean sheet came against Lorient in April.

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday

Monaco v Brest (1800), Paris Saint-Germain v Toulouse (2000)

Saturday

Lens v Marseille (1600), Saint-Etienne v Montpellier (1800), Reims v Lyon (2000)

Sunday

Lille v Rennes (1400), Auxerre v Angers, Nantes v Le Havre (1600), Nice v Strasbourg (1945)

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