Ajibade Olusesan 
PSG begin their Champions League title defence against Atalanta in Paris today, though the shortpriced favourites might have to grind out a victory in their Group Stage opener against La Dea.
Luis Enrique’s Parisians have started the Ligue 1 campaign in typically comfortable fashion, pocketing a maximum 12 points from their opening four games, though three of their four wins were accompanied by under 2.5 goals and Wednesday’s test against Atalanta could be similarly low on action.
With Desire Doue already sidelined, PSG also lost Ousmane Dembele to injury during the recent international break, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia managed to complete less than half an hour of the club’s 2-0 win over Lens at the weekend and is a major doubt here.
Shorn of some of their most impactful attackers, PSG suddenly look short on reliable goal scorers ahead of Wednesday’s test. With key personnel absent, they manufactured only 0.80 in expected goals in their win against Lens and any margin of victory in Paris against Atalanta is likely to be slim.
The visitors enjoyed a 4-1 win over Lecce on Sunday, which was their first under new boss Ivan Juric, though poor showings in draws against Pisa (1-1) and Parma (1-1) before that suggested that La Dea will have teething problems following the summer departure of longserving coach and icon, Gian Piero Gasperini. With Bradley Barcola, who scored a brace against Lens, picking up the goalscoring mantle, PSG should have enough to complete the task here.
