PSG v Tottenham: Back Paris star to open up Spurs

• PSG the French and European champions

• Hakimi a constant danger in PSG attack

• Swashbuckling Sarr can hit the target for Spurs

• European football expert Kevin Hatchard previews the UEFA Super Cup 

PSG v Tottenham
Wednesday 13 August, 20:00
Live on TNT Sports 1

Donnarumma decision shows PSG's ruthlessness

If ever you wanted evidence of how single-minded PSG coach Luis Enrique is, you need look no further than the Spanish tactician's decision to jettison goalkeeper Gigio Donnarumma, just months after the big Italian played a significant role in delivering the club's first ever Champions League crown. Lille's Lucas Chevalier has been brought in as the capital club's new number one, and Donnarumma has been dumped from the squad already.

With just one year left on the Italian's contract, and no sign of an extension, Donnarumma's exit (likely to the Premier League with Manchester United even money favourites) isn't surprising. However, the brutality of making Chevalier the number one immediately shows just how determined PSG are to build a dynasty. Add in the smart acquisition of Bournemouth defender Ilya Zabarnyi, and you see this is a club that's refusing to rest on its laurels.

It appears the hammering by Chelsea in the Club World Cup final had an effect on a club that could have been entitled to feel untouchable after winning everything domestically and securing that first European crown. PSG don't want a repeat of that debacle, and adding Zabarnyi ensures there isn't too big a drop-off if either Marquinhos or Willian Pacho aren't available.

PSG have had nearly a month off since the CWC final, and there aren't many absentees. Midfielder Joao Neves is suspended after pulling Marc Cucurella's hair against Chelsea, but apart from that, the European champions can select their strongest XI. Chevalier will make his debut, with Donnarumma not involved at all, and Desire Doue will probably get the nod in the front three ahead of Bradley Barcola.

Maddison injury adds injury to insult for uncertain Spurs

With Thomas Frank fully aware that he has a gang of Ange Postecoglou loyalists to win over early in his reign, it's been a mixed start to life in North London. You can never attach too much importance to pre-season games, and Tottenham did edge out old foes Arsenal 1-0, but they also got smacked 4-0 by Bayern Munich and their old darling Harry Kane.

More importantly, Spurs have lost James Maddison to another serious knee injury, while long-serving skipper Heung-Min Son has been sold to LAFC. There has been some eye-catching transfer business (Joao Palhinha should be a great loan signing from Bayern, Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso have been signed permanently, and Mohammed Kudus is hugely talented) but it feels like there is a lot more to do.

Frank is believed to want another senior centre-back, while an attacking midfielder is likely to be targeted. The failure to complete what initially seemed a straightforward move for Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White became a stinging setback.

However, there are positives. Frank has tried to make the team more compact, and after years of set-play neglect under Postecoglou, the club is back to focusing on trying to maximise those opportunities. After his sterling work at Brentford, the Danish coach is seen as someone who can improve existing players and be tactically flexible if the situation demands it.

Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin are all out injured, while there are doubts over Destiny Udogie and Dominic Solanke. Udogie has been named in the squad despite a knee injury, while Solanke has been struggling with an ankle problem.

Buccaneering Hakimi can hit the spot

I'm expecting the European champions to dominate this game, and the market agrees, with PSG strong favourites on the Betfair Exchange at 1.4740/85 to win the UEFA Super Cup in 90 minutes. That's too short to get involved with, so instead I'll back the influential Achraf Hakimi to score or assist at 13/102.30 on the Sportsbook.

Hakimi pushing forward from right-back is a huge feature of what PSG did well last term in the second half of the campaign. In the Champions League, the Moroccan international delivered four goals and five assists, and in Ligue 1 he came up with four goals and six assists. That rich vein of form continued at the Club World Cup, with four goal involvements in seven matches.

Elsewhere I'll back Tottenham's Pape Sarr to have a shot on target at 5/23.50. The energetic midfielder has been pushed forward into the vacant number ten role by Frank in pre-season, with some impressive results. The 22-year-old scored twice against Wycombe, netted a brilliant winner against Arsenal and had a shot on target against Newcastle in a 1-1 draw.

He's 5/23.50 to have a shot on target in Udine, and if you want to be bold and back him to have two shots on target, you can get an exciting 14/115.00.

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