Lensvs.PSG

In just one of two all-Ligue 1 affairs, one of the competition favourites will fall at the first hurdle here, with Lens handed another arduous draw on their introduction to the tournament.

Match preview

As the richest club, reigning league champions, and cup holders, PSG will begin their Coupe de France campaign as the clear favourites, despite a very tricky opening tie.

Luis Enrique's side are also fresh off the back of a hugely important midweek win over one of their closest title challengers Monaco.

A defeat would have seen the gap at the top close to four points, but a come-from-behind 4-2 win in the principality means PSG will finish 2024 10 points clear at the top of Ligue 1.

The Parisians were 2-1 down shortly after the hour, but roared back late on to seal a third impressive win in the space of seven days, having also beaten Red Bull Salzburg in their must-win Champions League clash, as well as against an impressive Lyon last weekend.

Focus will now switch to the Coupe in their final fixture of 2024, and it is one of the toughest they will have faced all year, in front of a raucous Bollaert-Delelis atmosphere under the Sunday-night lights.

This will be a repeat of the 1998 Coupe de France final which PSG won 2-1, and the target will be to win the trophy again this season, after beating Lyon in the final back in May.

After successive last 16 exits, that was an important success for the club, who reached seven straight finals between 2015 and 2021, winning all but one.

The visitors also have a superb recent record against Lens, having won their last four matches against their upcoming opponents, including 1-0 in their league meeting in the capital back at the start of November.

Lens did knock PSG out of this competition in the quarter-finals back in 1994 and in the semis in 1975, but they have never managed to win the trophy, suffering the heartbreak of being losing finalists on three occasions.

PSG were also the club that beat them in the final of 2008 Coupe de la Ligue too, and Lens have enjoyed very little cup success since, with their best finish in the Coupe de France in the 21st century being a semi-final defeat to Monaco in 2010.

Monaco were the club who eliminated them from this competition last season too, in another heavyweight round of 64 tie, meaning the Blood and Gold have been handed nightmare draws at the first hurdle two seasons running.

Will Still's men are in good form though, and should not be discouraged by the difficulty of their opponents, after taking seven points from their last three Ligue 1 games.

A 2-2 draw away to a very impressive Auxerre side last weekend means they stayed seventh, three points off the Champions League places, during a matchday that saw none of the sides between second and eighth win.

Lens form (all competitions):

L

W

L

W

W

D

Paris Saint-Germain form (all competitions):

L

D

D

W

W

W

Team News

PSG left-back Nuno Mendes was missing from the squad that faced Monaco due to the hamstring issue he picked up against Lyon, and the Portuguese international will continue to be monitored.

Gianluigi Donnarumma is also unlikely to feature after feeling the full force of Wilfried Singo's studs raking down his face on Wednesday, leaving the Italian keeper needing numerous stitches, and being replaced by Matvey Safonov.

Teenager Desire Doue continued to repay his manager for handing him a run in the team, with his goal against Monaco meaning he now has two goals and two assists in three games, but Goncalo Ramos is also staking his claim for a start, with goals in three successive matches, including two as a late sub in the last two.

Lens will be without Remy Labeau Lascary after he suffered a serious knee injury in the draw with Auxerre last weekend, and Angelo Fulgini was also forced off, but his issue is not expected to be as long term.

Jonathan Gradit and Nampalys Mendy have both been missing over the past few weeks, joining longer-term absentees Jimmy Cabot and Ruben Aguilar on the treatment table.

Lens possible starting lineup:

Samba; Frankowski, Danso, Khusanov, Medina, Chavez; Thomasson, El Aynaoui; Pereira da Costa, Nzola, Zaroury

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Joao Neves; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Dembele, Doue, Barcola

We say: Lens 1-2 Paris Saint-Germain

In front of what should be a thrilling atmosphere in Northern France, unbeaten runaway Ligue 1 leaders PSG should face a difficult encounter against Still's men, who themselves have proven difficult to beat for much of the season.

Written by

Andrew Delaney

Previews by email