Psg lens: the lens match as a springboard for the champions league final

“99.9% champion”: that’s the status of Paris Saint-Germain as described by Luis Enrique himself ahead of their away match at Lens, league runners-up, on Wednesday 13 May. With a six-point lead and a 15-goal goal difference, and just two matches remaining, the outcome of the Ligue 1 title race is no longer in doubt, even if the Parisians were to lose at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

This deceptively straightforward scenario isn’t unwelcome for the PSG coach, who now has just one priority: “to arrive in the best possible physical, mental, individual and collective conditions for the match on 30 May”, against Arsenal in the Champions League final. In other words, managing the workload of certain key players, giving others a breather and maintaining the rhythm for the whole squad.

In Munich during the Champions League semi-final second leg, eight of the eleven PSG starters had played fewer than 1,350 minutes in Ligue 1 this season (equivalent to 16 full matches out of 31). True to his careful approach to managing player fitness, Luis Enrique isn’t shy about admitting he won’t necessarily field his strongest XI against Lens, even if the northern club is the last team capable of offering a dress rehearsal ahead of the Champions League final. “The most important thing for me is to manage and individually analyse the minutes played so that we arrive at the Champions League final in the best possible shape”, explained the Spanish coach after Sunday’s victory over Brest (1-0).

“I’m sure we’ll be competitive at Lens and against Paris FC, but our objective is the match on 30 May.”

Luis Enrique, PSG coach

PSG players aren’t mincing their words either. “Lens is a very good team, but I think it’s nothing like a Champions League final – it’s really a different level”, judged Désiré Doué after scoring the winner against Brest. The recent Champions League finalist, like his two strike partners, has already played a lot recently. But Fabian Ruiz and Marquinhos, who featured on Sunday after the semi-final in Munich, could, for example, be rested, unless the coach feels the Spanish midfielder needs to regain his rhythm.

The PSG technical staff may also use the match to experiment with certain tactical setups. Lucas Beraldo’s repositioning as a defensive midfielder seems confirmed, while teenager Senny Mayulu’s adaptation to the right-back position is already proving successful.

“To play at right-back for Paris Saint-Germain, you first need stamina,” underlined Luis Enrique. “That’s what Hakimi and Warren [Zaïre-Emery] bring. Senny Mayulu also has that stamina, and it’s crucial. Then there’s his quality – he’s shown he has both offensive and defensive abilities.”

Impressive in this role against Lorient and Brest, the 19-year-old could face a more challenging opponent at Lens to prove he’s a credible alternative to Warren Zaïre-Emery if Achraf Hakimi isn’t fully fit for the final.

Even in Lens, minds aren’t on this deceptively straightforward title decider. “Second place is secured; now we need the Coupe de France”, declared Pierre Sage after his side’s 1-0 win over Nantes in matchday 33, confirming their place in the Coupe de France final against Nice. Before Sunday’s PSG victory over Brest, the Lens coach had already given up on overtaking the Parisians. “We tried to push them to their limits, but we missed a few turns in our imperfect season. To outclass them, you need a perfect season”, he admitted. Then, half-joking, he added: “Bravo to them – they’ve won another title and probably a second Champions League.”