Ligue 1: The On-Field Business Starts Now for Enrique

Paris Saint-Germain vs Lens

When Luis Enrique took over as manager of Paris Saint-Germain he knew darn well he’d be spending many of his waking hours looking at player contracts but, of course, he has a primary aim of winning Ligue 1.

PSG have picked up two draws from their opening two games, at home to Lorient and away to Toulouse, and now they meet the team which finished second last term, RC Lens, who themselves have made a slow start this season. Les Sangs et Or have earned just a single point in a draw with Stade Rennes having lost their opener away to Stade Brest and head coach Franck Haise has plenty of work in his own in-tray.

Haise has done a fine job in Lens since promotion to the top flight in 2020, leading his side to two seventh placed finishes and a second place last season; so as well as taking care of domestic matters he is now at the head of a Champions League club.

The Ligue 1 2023 betting odds are backing a home win and Enrique probably needs this result more than his opposite number.  

Talking Points

Could this still be Mbappe’s PSG farewell?

With Neymar packing his bags in readiness of his new life in Saudi Arabia and Lionel Messi ripping it up in the MLS with Inter Miami, the face of PSG is changing. And there is still a question over the immediate future of Kylian Mbappe, who isn’t 100 per cent certain of seeing out the transfer window in France. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has tried to cool the speculation in France and Spain, and the rumours may actually come to nothing this year.

PSG are reported to be in talks with the player but nothing has, at the time of writing, materialised and he is still in a position where his contract expires next summer. In their last game Mbappe scored a penalty to put PSG ahead in Toulouse but the hosts levelled with a spot-kick of their own in the 87^th minute. That frustrating result leaves the reigning champions four points adrift of leaders AS Monaco, who have a winnable game away to Nantes this weekend before they host RC Lens on 2^nd September.

The hosts will be without midfield ace Kang-In-Lee who picked up an injury against Toulouse and is unavailable. But Ousmane Dembele, who appeared for the Parisiens in the second half of last week’s game, looks a likely starter, alongside Mbappe for this big match.

Enrique needs Ligue 1 2023 results and he has enough firepower, backed up by and quality throughout the team, to deliver; whether they can beat last season’s runners up is another question entirely.    

New look Lens in transition

Second place in Ligue 1 was quite some achievement for Les Sangs et Or and their players and fans are looking forward to rubbing shoulders with Europe’s elite, but they will have to do so without two of last season’s biggest stars. Striker Lois Openda, who bagged 21 goals in 38 appearances, has moved to Red Bull Leipzig for a fee of around 45m Euros, while defensive midfielder Seko Fofana has headed off to the Saudi Pro League.

On the incoming side, the signing of 20 year old striker Elye Wahi has set the pulses racing in Lens and he could be a big name in the French top flight this year, after scoring 32 goals in 85 games for Montpellier. Lens have shelled out a cool 35m Euros for the young star and he was a man in demand during the summer with a raft of top clubs chasing his signature, notably Spurs, who were at the front of the queue before Lens swooped, and clubs in the Bundesliga as well as PSG who were pondering a move.           

Of the players who starred during the last campaign, Facundo Medina was such an influential player for Lens, able to slot in at centre back or left back and integral to the club’s rise to Champions League status. The Lens defence will have their work cut out keeping Dembele and Mbappe quiet and Medina has a huge role to play.    

History

PSG have won 20 of the 45 meetings between these two teams over the past 30 years with Lens picking up 14 victories and there have been 11 draws, and Lens have not won on any of their last nine visits to the Parc des Princes.  

Last year PSG won this game 3-1 while Lens won by the same score line on their home soil; and with one win, three draws and two defeats from the last five outings, the two clubs come into this game in similar shape.   

Betting Tip

France’s two Champions League representatives come face to face at the Parc des Princes and the hosts will be keen to put Lens in their place. PSG are at SBOTOP odds of 1.55 to win, with Lens at 4.74 and the draw is priced at 3.73. I don’t think the Parisiens will have it all their own way but, with home advantage and Dembele ready to fire, I do think Enrique will pick up his first three points.

 

●●●

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS

Stay updated with everything sports and betting.

Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.