Who is playing for PSG versus Chateauroux on Friday, Jan. 6?

PSG will visit Chateauroux on Friday night to face the minnow club in a French Cup Round of 64 match away from home. The Parisian club had a day off after getting annihilated 3-1 by Lens last Sunday but returned to the training ground on Wednesday and Thursday, albeit without Neymar, Messi, and multiple other players available.

With this game being part of the French Cup, PSG will have a little break in terms of the demands a lesser opponent will bring to them. Coach Christophe Galtier wants to win the Cup, of course, but that doesn't mean he will be using his best XI each round, let alone in this early-round type of game.

Just for starters, PSG will feature Costa Rica international Keylor Navas on the goalposts for the first time this season, with the GK2 of Paris Saint-Germain having yet to play a single minute this year.

With AC Milan interested in loaning PSG's third-string goalie Sergio Rico and a deal seemingly already in place between player and club, PSG will see what Navas can give them and his plans for the second half of the season before deciding on what to do with Rico.

With the goalkeeper conundrum solved and Navas favored over Rico for Friday's game, the defense should be similar to the one used against Strasbourg only with the returning Juan Bernat playing in exchange for veteran Sergio Ramos.

Expect a rotated PSG lineup with Keylor Navas but none of the Three Magi: Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe

Ramos, aging and losing pace (and records) with each passing day, will see his current deal with PSG expire next summer, and the interest from Saudi Arabia club Al-Nassr might see him move countries sooner than later.

The midfield trio, assuming it stays that way, might be the strongest unit on PSG's squad on Friday. Danilo, now with a few minutes of competitive play and more than a few days of training under his legs should start in a defensive midfielder position.

Vitinha and youngster Zaire-Emery look like the better pairing when it comes to featuring a creative outlet instead of a depressing pairing in the event of starting Fabian Ruiz, who has struggled mightily of late, let alone Carlos Soler.

Ekitike and Sarabia playing this match from the get-go look more like a move apt for Galtier to make and avoid trouble than anything else. If we were calling the shots, though, we'd insert titi Ilyies Housni somewhere in the forward line.

There will be five titis present on Chateauroux on Friday, including El Chadaille Bitshiabu, Warren Zaire-Emery , Ismael Gharbi, Ayman Kari, and Ilyes Housni. The former three are expected to play from the start while the latter two should enter the pitch at some point (more Housni than Kari) assuming the game goes according to plan and PSG can build a solid lead in the early stages.