Paris FC vs Le Havre – News and Probable Lineups

On Sunday, Paris FC will look to progress in their Ligue 1 campaign as they take on Le Havre at the Stade Jean-Bouin, a match anticipated to be closely fought between two comparable teams.

Both sides are eager to maintain a comfortable margin above the relegation zone, and their past encounters indicate a likely tense match, as the last four meetings have all ended without a winner since January 2022.

Match overview

Currently nine points clear of the relegation playoff position and sitting 13th in the Ligue 1 table, Paris FC have been alleviating their relegation concerns gradually, and bringing in Antoine Kombouare in February could turn out to be one of the club’s most crucial decisions this season if they achieve survival.

The morale has improved with five points from a potential nine since Kombouare’s arrival, and returning home on Sunday will further boost confidence as the 62-year-old aims to lead his team to a consecutive home triumph following two draws on the road.

Last weekend, the capital club secured another point with a goalless draw at Strasbourg, having also drawn with Olympique Lyonnais the previous week, after a dramatic penalty in the 96th minute denied them all three points.

Earlier this month, their 1-0 victory against Nice marked their first win at home since defeating Lorient 2-0 in October, presenting them the chance to achieve back-to-back home victories for the first time this season.

Kombouare’s squad has lost just once in the last six matches and will be aiming for their fourth clean sheet at home this season, a goal supported by their defensive strength in shutting out Strasbourg recently.

Recent clashes with Le Havre indicate another tight battle, with the last three league encounters ending without goals, and overall the last four meetings since January 2022 produced no winner, while historically the Parisians have a slight advantage with seven wins out of 18 matches against six draws and five losses.

With just one point and one position separating them from their hosts, Le Havre managed to stop a sequence of three consecutive league losses by earning a goalless draw against Lyon last weekend.

Despite being reduced to ten men early in the second half due to Stephan Zagadou’s red card for a professional foul on on-loan Real Madrid striker Endrick, Didier Digard’s team demonstrated resilience to secure a crucial point.

What had been a relatively steady season turned challenging in February, with losses to Nantes, Paris Saint-Germain, and Stade Brestois, disrupting the momentum from their earlier back-to-back victories.

Le Club Doyen will approach this fixture having earned just two points in their last seven away matches in Ligue 1, scoring only once during this stretch and securing just one away win all season.

Overall, they have recorded only six league victories in this campaign, equaling the total they gathered throughout the 2025 calendar year in the last season.

Team News

The return of Rudy Matondo and Marshall Munetsi against Strasbourg provided a boost for Paris FC, as both players recovered from injuries sustained during the match against Lyon to start last weekend.

However, the hosts will still be without Pierre-Yves Hamel (calf), Ilan Kebbal (quadriceps), Samir Chergui (hamstring), Vincent Marchetti (lumbago), and Tuomas Ollila (bruise).

For Le Havre, defender Loic Nego made his comeback against Lyon after recovering from a calf injury, though Abdoulaye Touré is still in recovery from a knee issue.

Both Gautier Lloris and Simon Ebonog are sidelined, while Yanis Zouaoui and Zagadou will miss the journey to the capital due to suspension.

Paris FC probable starting XI:

Trapp; De Smet, Coppola, Mbow, Camara; Lees-Melou, Munetsi, Matondo; Simon, Ikone, Immobile

Le Havre probable starting XI:

Diaw; Leko, Sangante, Kechta, Koffi; Seko, Gourna-Douath, Ndiaye, Boufal; Samatta, Soumare

Under Kombouare’s management, Paris FC has fortified their defense, having conceded only from a late penalty against Lyon in their recent matches, underscoring their growing defensive solidity.

Although this fixture has regularly been low-scoring with shared points in recent years, the renewed vigor in the capital could be the determining factor, and the hosts might just manage to edge out the contest, leading to another defeat for Le Havre.