In one of the rare seasons in which PSG failed to win the Coupe de France, Lens capitalised on the opportunity and now have the chance to add another trophy to their modest collection if they beat the Ligue 1 champions on Sunday.
Lens were absolutely unstoppable in the Coupe de France last season, dominating from the very start right through to the final against Nice, which they won 3–1.
It was their first cup win after three unsuccessful attempts over the years, and with that victory they earned the chance to compete for the Super Cup in front of their own fans at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Anyone who followed Ligue 1 last season will know that Lens enjoyed the best campaign in their history, even leading the table for a considerable period. They failed to win the title only because they lacked the strength to get the better of PSG in their two matches. Will we see a different outcome this time?
The Parisians could secure a second trophy in less than a week, having already beaten Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday.
It certainly wasn’t easy for them, however, and Villa controlled the game for long spells, but in the end, PSG’s experience and squad depth proved enough.
How the bookies view it: Standard advantage for the UCL winners
As expected, the Parisians are favourites with all the bookmakers, as is always the case in their domestic leagues and competitions.
At the moment, you can back cup holders Lens at 15/4, whilst Ligue 1 champions PSG are available at 3/4. If you think we might see a closely fought match and a draw, you can back that at 27/10.
Recent head-to-head: PSG won the last eight H2Hs
Lens certainly didn’t make last season easy for PSG, but they always seemed to fall just short in head-to-head encounters, and the Parisians’ long winning streak remained unbroken.
PSG have won the last eight head-to-head encounters, with Lens only managing to take the match to penalties in their 2024 cup tie. The Blood and Gold’s last victory came in 2023, when they won 3–1 at this stadium.
Players to watch: Dembele’s impact always makes the difference
Most of the Parisians’ big stars were given the longest possible break after the World Cup and did not take part in the team’s friendly matches.
Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue, for example, were brought on straight away against Aston Villa, and their importance was immediately apparent as the pair set up PSG’s winning goal.
They are likely to start from the very beginning against Lens (Dembele came on in the second half against Villa), and I expect at least one of them to find the net again.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Probable line-ups
Lens: Risser, Nawrocki, Ganiou, Antonio, Abdulhamid, Hazard, Haidara, Bulatovic, Thuavin, Ivanovic, Edouard
Paris Saint-Germain: Safonov, Digne, Zabarnyi, Beraldo, Hakimi, Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves, Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia
Anything else catch the eye?
Lens are a tough opponent, but it remains to be seen whether they can maintain the standard they set last season.
PSG usually look unbeatable with a full-strength squad simply because they have the best manager in the world, and any one of their strikers can single-handedly decide any match.
However, this is only the very start of the season, and the Parisians didn’t look in peak condition against Villa. Lens didn’t play badly in their pre-season friendlies, and I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt and expect them to score at least one goal this time.
Ultimately, though, I expect PSG to win yet another final 2–1 and celebrate a second trophy in a week. Luis Enrique has a wealth of experience and some rather daunting statistics in finals. The manager has won 13 of the 14 single-leg finals he has managed during his career.
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