It was certainly not how France and the football world at large would have wanted to kick off the international hiatus. On Friday, November 13th, Les Bleus were scheduled to face off against World Cup 2014 winners Germany in what should have been an exciting and entertaining friendly for Parisian-based supporters and those viewing from abroad.
Unfortunately, tragedy struck as Islamic terrorist organization ISIS coordinated a series of deadly attacks across the iconic city that killed 129 people and wounded dozens more. Whilst fortunately no one in attendance at the Stade de France was injured, the whole world was plunged into mourning, anger, and shock at the actions of the Syrian-based group, but have vowed not to let terrorists prevent them from enjoying life to the fullest.
As such, immediately after the horrific attacks, teams across Europe and in some parts of the world have held moments of silence to honor the victims. And Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain have gone one step further to show their support for the city and its people by wearing kits with the statement "Je Suis Paris" (I am Paris) against Lorient this weekend.
This is the second time in recent memory that Les Parisiens have done this following a tragedy in France: the first was "Je Suis Charlie" (I am Charlie) following the attacks on the cartoonist publication Charlie Hebdo.
Lorient
During the 2014/2015 campaign, Lorient finished in 16th place - barely escaping relegation to Ligue 2, and at this juncture last season, they were last in the table with just ten points. Under the tutelage of former player Sylvain Ripoll, things have improved this time around as their 20 points see them sitting in seventh place. More important, they have built up a solid unbeaten streak that will have built up their confidence ahead of this difficult clash. Since a 2-1 loss to Montpellier on September 27th, they have won or drawn all six of their games in all competitions, including getting some revenge on Montpellier by defeating them 3-2 in the Coupe de la Ligue nearly exactly a month later on October 28th.
Striker Benjamin Moukandjo is currently the team's top goalscorer, with nine goals. Currently tied with Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the top of the Ligue 1 scoring charts, he is responsible for over one-third of the team's total of 22 and has been a big reason for their solid showings so far this season. Unfortunately for the hosts, they do not have a good record against PSG. Not only have they lost their last five consecutive meetings, but also their last Ligue 1 win was back on August 6, 2011. One would have to go back to January 19, 2008 to find the last time Lorient were able to beat PSG at the Stade Yves Allainmat.
PSG
Laurent Blanc's men are currently the only unbeaten side remaining in Ligue 1 after 13 rounds. As a result, the reigning Ligue 1 champions sit a whopping ten points ahead of second-placed Lyon and barring a shocking collapse, look a safe bet to retain their title as we head into the midway point of the 2015/2016 season. Not surprisingly, they boast strongest attack and meanest defense - with 31 scored and six conceded, and are only one of two teams in Europe's "Big 5" leagues yet to lose a league game (the other, not surprisingly, are Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich).
Saturday's game will be a special one for Ibrahimovic: should the 34-year-old feature, he would have reached a century of Ligue 1 appearances since joining in the summer of 2012.
Les Parisiens will next resume European action by traveling to take on Ibrahimovic's former team - Malmo FF - in Sweden next week. With only one spot remaining in Group A for the round of 16, Blanc could opt to rotate his squad to keep some of his key players fresh for the important clash, especially after drawing and then losing to Real Madrid in their last two Champions League games.
PSG have won their last seven games dating back to September 22nd, when Javier Pastore, Angel Di Maria and Ibrahimovic were all on target as they cruised to all three points against Guingamp and would surely like to at least maintain that 10-point gap over Lyon with another win on Saturday evening.
On which online or TV channel can I watch Lorient vs PSG live?
Given the tragic events of last Friday, the resumption of Ligue 1 is surely going to be an emotional one, especially for Saturday's visitors as some of the players, including Javier Pastore lost friends during the attacks. Here is where Ligue 1 fans can watch Les Parisiens take on Lorient on Saturday, November 21, 2015:
- In France at 17:00 CET on Ligue 1 Orange App, Canal+ France
- In the USA at 11:00 EST on beIN SPORTS CONNECT U.S.A., TV5 Monde USA
- In Canada (Montreal) at 11:00 EST on TV5 Québec Canada
If you reside outside these three countries, please visit our special Lorient vs. PSG match page for specific viewing times and options for your location.
Please be advised that live broadcast listings are subject to change.
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