PSG lineup vs. Botafogo: Predicted XI for Club World Cup clash, as Group B's top two meet

Set for a battle between continental champions, Paris Saint-Germain will meet Botafogo in their second Club World Cup game on Thursday, when their attacking talisman may miss out again.

Free-roaming forward Ousmane Dembele has continued to train individually as he recovers from a muscular injury, so it seems increasingly unlikely he will feature during the group phase.

In better news for head coach Luis Enrique, another France international, Bradley Barcola, seems to have overcome the knee problem that ruled him out of Sunday's big win over Atletico Madrid. 

So, the latter is set to vie with Desire Doue for selection on the left wing, while Goncalo Ramos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are expected to fill two more berths in PSG's potent attack.

As a strong side must be named - with victory potentially allowing Enrique to rest players against Seattle Sounders next time out - there should be no change in a finely tuned midfield three.

Against Atleti, engine room conductor Vitinha completed 98% of his passes, and the Portuguese playmaker will again feature alongside compatriot Joao Neves and Spain star Fabian Ruiz.

At the back, Champions League hero Gianluigi Donnarumma starts behind a four-man defence led by captain Marquinhos, with speedy full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes allowed to raid forward at will.

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup: Donnarumma; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Neves, Vitinha, Ruiz; Kvaratskhelia, Ramos, Doue

Written by
Jonathan O'Shea