With its focus already on Arsenal, a revamped and young Paris Saint-Germain suffered a second straight Ligue 1 loss on Saturday.
Champion PSG lost at Strasbourg 2-1. With the match coming between the two legs of the Champions League semifinal against Arsenal, PSG coach Luis Enrique rotated his team. Only Joao Neves was retained in the starting XI.
PSG started with four players born in 2006 or later: Warren Zaïre-Emery, Senny Mayulu, Axel Tape and Ibrahim Mbaye.
Star striker Ousmane Dembele, who picked up a light hamstring injury in the 1-0 win in London, was rested ahead of next week's game against the Gunners at the Parc des Princes. Bradley Barcola, Mbaye and Goncalo Ramos started up front.
In the first half, PSG had the possession but lacked pace and was put under pressure by Strasbourg.
Strasbourg took the lead from a corner. Mamadou Sarr’s glanced header was clumsily diverted in by PSG defender Lucas Hernandez. It was Strasbourg’s ninth goal from a corner, the highest tally in the French top flight.
PSG was punished again just before halftime when Felix Lemarechal curled in a superb strike from outside the box.
Barcola pulled one back just after the interval. He collected the ball inside PSG's half, went on a 50-meter run into the area, and finished the impressive solo effort from close range with remarkable composure.
The result extended Strasbourg's unbeaten run to 12 matches and lifted the team to fourth in the standings. Strasbourg has collected more points since the start of the year — 40 — than PSG.
Arsenal loses to Bournemouth
At Emirates, Arsenal's preparations for the Champions League second leg against PSG took a huge blow after Bournemouth's Evanilson and Dean Huijsen scored in quick succession.
Bournemouth won away at Arsenal for the first time in the Premier League on Saturday, and completed a memorable double to boost their chances of playing in Europe next season, thanks to a second-half fightback en route to a thrilling 2-1 win.
Declan Rice gave the Gunners the lead in the 34th minute, rounding goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and producing an accomplished finish on his 100th Arsenal appearance.
Arsenal had chances to extend their lead, but Dean Huijsen gave Bournemouth a deserved equaliser in the 67th minute before Evanilson bundled home eight minutes later to complete the turnaround.
"A positive result would really help us to build what we wanted towards Wednesday," Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta told reporters. "So what we have created now is a lot of rage, anger, frustration and a bad feeling in the tummy.
"So (we must) make sure that we use that for Wednesday to have a massive performance in Paris, win the game and be in the final."
Arteta made just two changes from Tuesday's defeat by PSG, one of which was full-back Jurrien Timber after he was withdrawn in the closing stages of the first leg.
Timber was not in the squad for Saturday's game and Arteta was cagey about the Dutchman's chance for the second leg.
Asked if he was confident Timber could play a part on Wednesday, Arteta said: "Confident? At the moment, no, because he wasn't able to play here and we play in four days."
While Arsenal's team selection felt like a gamble ahead of the biggest game of their season against PSG, who have already won Ligue 1 and made 10 changes for their 2-1 defeat at Strasbourg on Saturday, Arteta said he had little choice.
Arsenal trail PSG 1-0 after the first leg at The Emirates.
(FRANCE 24 with AP and Reuters)