Hatem Ben Arfa’s future at Paris Saint-Germain looks increasingly doubtful after the France international winger was again ignored by coach Unai Emery for Ligue 1 action today.
Champions PSG take on newly-promoted Dijon at the Parc des Princes lying three points shy of early Ligue 1 pacesetters Monaco, who host second-placed Nice tomorrow.
This is the third consecutive game that Emery has not selected Ben Arfa, who arrived at PSG in the summer from Nice, the Spanish coach justifying his pick by saying it was a “purely sporting decision”.
Ben Arfa, 29, has already missed out on the 1-1 draw with Arsenal in the Champions league and the 6-0 league thrashing of Caen last week.
“I’m preparing the team that I think to be the best to play the match,” Emery said.
“He’s a player like the others, I think that the players in the squad today are those who have best prepared for tomorrow’s game,” said Emery, who had explained earlier this month that Ben Arfa needed to “work more”.
Victory for PSG would lift them back onto the summit, at least for 24 hours and the top-of-the-table clash between high-flying south coast neighbours Monaco and Nice.
Monaco followed up their shock 2-1 win over Tottenham in the Champions League at Wembley last week with a 3-0 defeat of Rennes, to leave them top of the Ligue 1 pile on 13 points.
A double from Thomas Lemar and a towering Radamel Falcao header – the Colombian’s first goal for his club since August 2014 - helped them see off the Brittany outfit and leapfrog PSG.
Monaco are seeking their eighth consecutive win against a Nice side only two points behind and featuring newly-recruited playmaker Younes Balhanda.
The on-loan Dynamo Kiev forward’s late strike in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Montpellier helped the Cote d’Azur side maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Italian striker Mario Balotelli is due to return after the former Liverpool, Man City and AC Milan star sat out the Montpellier stalemate.
The midweek programme is wrapped up by Marseille, with only one win from their first five outings, on the road at Rennes.