Ilyes Housni scores brace in 3-1 win against Quevilly, might start for PSG next week

With the return to official competition scheduled for next Wednesday, Dec. 28, PSG played their last mid-season friendly yesterday and defeated second-tier Quevilly 3-1 featuring a squad already full of first-team players.

After playing fellow Parisians and second-division club Paris FC in their first mid-season friendly, PSG went against Quevilly on Wednesday. PSG didn't have any sort of trouble in defeating the lesser club, putting three goals past them before the lower-level side scored one late in the game.

Gianluigi Donnarumma started on the goal for the first time after the break (he'd then make way for Sergio Rico to replace him) along with a defensive line packed full of talent and featuring Mukiele, Sergio Ramos, Bitshiabu, and Juan Bernat.

The defensive unit, goalie and D-men as a whole, put on an impressive game limiting the opposition's chances to a bare minimum through the full 90 minutes and only allowing one goal on the day.

Ilyes Housni scored two goals, might make PSG's starting XI next week

Verratti, Fabian Ruiz, and Renato Sanches were deployed in the middle of the pitch. More interesting than watching those otherworldly talents manhandling much less talented players was enjoying Ethan Mbappe's second game as a pro after he debuted last week with PSG's first team.

Youngsters Gharbi, Housni, and Ekitike played on the front line and they were beyond excellent for PSG. The Spaniard Gharbi opened the score playing as the team's no. 10, but it was Housni who did the most damage to Quevilly with his brace making it 3-0.

Housni scored twice for PSG going two-for-two in the two mid-season friendlies and giving coach Christophe Galtier a nice headache when it comes to building his starting XI for the game against Strasbourg next week.

Will Housni play next Wednesday for PSG against Strasbourg in the return of Ligue 1 action? He could even make the starting XI, reports Le Parisien this Thursday in their printed edition.

With Mbappe and Hakimi back in Paris and their training exercises starting on Wednesday and Thursday respectively, both could be on their way to appear in next week's game.

Marquinhos returned to Paris on Thursday, Dec. 22, as had been reported earlier. Surprisingly, though, he arrived at Camp des Loges along with Neymar in a rather surprising development as the no. 10 wasn't expected this early.

The Brazil internationals will have less than a week to prepare for the game against Strasbourg, although they have rested for a few more days than their French and Moroccan counterparts.

With such a short time to prepare for the first competitive game of the second half of the season, chances are Galtier gives some rest to his internationals and favors some youngsters for at least one or two games.

Housni, after his impressive couple of performances in December, should be the man in pole position to partner Hugo Ekitie up front along with the returning Neymar and Mbappe and assuming only one of the two (Mbappe, most probably) is fit enough to face Strasbourg.