Everything on Metz - Paris!

A BIT OF HISTORY...

It's the 79th competitive encounter between Metz and Paris Saint-Germain, and it's Les Parisiens who boast the better record with 45 victories, 15 draws and 18 defeats. 

With this total of 45 defeats against Les Rouge et Bleu, Metz are the fourth most beaten side by the club from the capital, behind Saint-Etienne (49 defeats), Nantes (48), and on a par with Marseille and Sochaux (45).

Paris Saint-Germain are also on a ten-match winning streak against Metz since 18 August 2007 (0-0 in Lorraine). It's the club from the capital's fourth best run after Nantes (17 wins, 2007-2019), Lorient (12 wins since 2013), Angers (11 wins since 2015), and on a par with Saint-Etienne (2013-2016), Toulouse (2010-2014) and Marseille (2012-2016).

21 players have worn the shirts of both clubs:  Albert Baning, Denis Bauda, Milan Bisevac, Jules Bocandé, François Calderaro, Eric Cubilier, Mevlut Erding, Thomas Kokkinis, Bernard Lama, Lionel Letizi, Claude Lowitz, Patrick Mboma, Bartholomew Ogbeche, Grégory Paisley, Francis Piasecki, Alain Polaniok, Cyril Pouget, Philippe Redon, Romain Rocchi, Bruno Rodriguez and Jean-Philippe Séchet.

François M’Pelé is Paris Saint-Germain's top scorer against Metz, with 7 goals to his name. He leads Mustapha Dahleb, Dominique Rocheteau (6) and Safet Susic (5). It's worth noting that Mustapha Dahleb loved a trip to Lorraine, with all of his six goals being scored in Metz.

Just one Paris striker has picked up a hat-trick against Metz: Christian, during the 1999-2000 season (1-3 win for Paris Saint-Germain in Lorraine on 12/12/1999).

It's also against Metz that a Parisien was sent off for the first time in the top-flight. On 12 April 1972, Jean-Louis Rostagni was sent for an early bath, after a clash with Rachid Natouri, who was equally given his marching orders. Paris Saint-Germain came out on top in the encounter, winning  1-3.

THE STAKES...

The final sprint in Ligue 1 is underway and Les Rouge et Bleu will want to take home all three points from Lorraine and continue their incredible away record in all competitions (nine victories): at Marseille (2-0, L1), Caen (1-0, Coupe de France), Barcelona (4-1, Champions League), Dijon (4-0, L1), Bordeaux (1-0, L1), Brest (3-0, Coupe de France), Lyon (4-2, L1), against Bayern Munich (3-2, Champions League) and Strasbourg (4-1, L1).

In the league, these five away wins on the trot have already made it into Les Rouge et Bleus' top five. It's the fourth best run in the history of the club after 2016-2017 (8 wins), 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 (6) and on a par with 2012-2013 and 2015-2016 (5).

The Keys to the match...

Kylian Mbappé, who was rested against Angers on Wednesday, will be back to face Metz and the Frenchman is in great form, with 12 goals scored in his last 10 matches in Rouge et Bleu.

Angel Di Maria could further strengthen his legendary status at the club: the Argentine midfielder, who has picked up 102 assists in his time in Paris, is just one assist off the club record held by Safet Susic.

After the attacking masterclass in the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France against Angers (5-0) on Wednesday, the Paris Saint-Germain forwards will face an opponent that they particularly enjoy playing against! Les Lorrains have conceded 133 goals against Les Rouge et Bleu, only 7 clubs have conceded more than Les Messins: Saint-Etienne (161 goals), Lyon (158), Lens (146), Marseille (145), Nantes and Bordeaux (142), and Bastia (134).