PSG will start its French title defense with a home game against Lorient

Updated Jun. 29, 2023 12:45 p.m. ET

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Paris Saint-Germain will begin its French title defense in a smaller league with a home game against Lorient on the weekend of Aug. 12-13.

The French league released the schedule Thursday for next season, which sees the league reduced from 20 to 18 teams.

Each side will play 34 matches instead of 38 and there will be only one round of midweek games on Dec. 20, which falls before the winter break. Following that break, league play resumes on the weekend of Jan. 13-14 and ends on May 18.

The final two rounds — on May 11 and 18 — will be played on Saturday with all matches kicking off at 9 p.m.

However, the 33rd and penultimate round will be moved to Sunday if French clubs are still involved in European competition.

PSG won a record 11th French title last season to move one ahead of Saint-Etienne and two clear of bitter rival Marseille.

But a difficult campaign for PSG saw it finish just one point ahead of second-place Lens, which qualified automatically for the Champions League.

Record seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi left the club to join Inter Miami in the MLS and star striker Kylian Mbappé enters the final year of his contract next season, having told the club he will not take up the option for an extra year.

PSG travels to play seven-time champion Lyon on Sept. 3 and is at home to bitter rival Marseille on Sept. 24.

Marseille, which placed third last year to enter the Champions League qualifying rounds, hosts PSG on March 31 at Stade Velodrome.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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