Sunday’s encounter against a Lens team that has won all of its home games will be the biggest test of the season for the league’s top team in France.
With a win, Lens, who is now in second place, will fall four points behind PSG, the current champion. PSG will be without Neymar, who is suspended, and World Cup winner Lionel Messi, who is anticipated to resume training early next week.
After 16 games, PSG coach Christophe Galtier’s team remains undefeated, but he is preparing for a fierce battle.
Galtier stated on Friday, “This game versus Lens has top billing because they’ve won all their home matches.” The environment there has been dynamically constructed by (lens coach) Franck Haise, and it will be spectacular.
With 10, Messi and Neymar are tied for the league lead in assists, while Kylian Mbappé, Neymar’s teammate, is second with 13.
The offense of PSG is greatly diminished by their combined absence.
It’s not a little issue, Galtier declared. We recognize their significance.
Galtier was aware that he would be without Messi, who had been granted additional time off to celebrate his World Cup victory in Argentina, but Neymar’s punishment made Galtier reevaluate. In a 2-1 victory over Strasbourg on Wednesday, Neymar was dismissed after receiving two yellow cards quickly, the second for diving in the penalty area.
“We thought about how we would organize ourselves (against Lens) right after Wednesday’s game,” Galtier remarked. “We worked yesterday and today to find the greatest organization imaginable. “I’m quite sure I know what I want to do.”
Lens prefers a high-octane pressing style and is dangerous on the counter, so PSG will try to avoid being drawn into a midfield tussle where losing the ball may prove costly.
Without Messi and Neymar to link up play, PSG’s best option is likely to send Mbappé from deep, allowing him to use his pace against the Lens defense.
Mbappé saved PSG with a stoppage-time penalty against Strasbourg, where PSG’s vulnerability to attacks down the flanks was exposed when Strasbourg equalized.
Galtier praised Mbappé’s will to play for PSG so soon after losing with France, even though he had just 10 days earlier scored three goals in the World Cup championship game.
“It demonstrates his attitude and approach. Every day, he improves as a player, according to Galtier. In 2022, he has participated in 56 games and scored 56 goals. What a lucky find that player is for us.
BEN SEGHIR IN THE HEADLINES
After a stunning league debut, Monaco coach Philippe Clement swore to shield teenage midfielder Eliesse Ben Seghir from the spotlight.
Midweek, the 17-year-old midfielder helped Monaco defeat Auxerre 3-2 by scoring twice after coming off the bench, including the game-winning curling goal in the style of Kylian Mbappé.
Since then, Ben Seghir has become the buzz of French soccer, and if he plays on Sunday against Brest at home, all eyes will be on him.
He won’t be doing any interviews in the upcoming weeks, I can state that. I want him to focus on football, so we’ll wait till he has some experience before doing that,” Clement said on Friday. “We anticipate the arrival of agents, as well as of new pals and girlfriends. I’ve discussed it with him. Eliesse is a winner who is aware of the difficulties of becoming a great player. That is also part of my responsibility as a coach and, in a small way, as a second father to the young players.
Clement was not shocked when Ben Seghir struck his eye with his nonchalant brilliance of skill and devastating finishing.
“I’m not saying I had a crystal ball telling me he’d score twice, but I knew he had the ability to help the squad,” Clement said. “We’d been talking about it for weeks.”
