The Japan Times - Ligue 1 leaders Lens still waiting for PSG title charge

Ahead of this weekend's trip to third-placed Marseille, Lens have managed to maintain their slender one-point lead in recent weeks to boost their hopes of a second French top-flight title and first since 1998.

But four straight victories for PSG have kept the capital club right on their shoulders and coach Sage admits that his team are still big outsiders.

"Humbly, we must acknowledge that PSG are an extraordinary team," he said.

"As soon as PSG put their foot down in the final stretch, it's possible we won't see them again."

Qualification for the Champions League for only the second time since the 2002/03 season would still represent an excellent campaign for Lens.

They boast a 10-point advantage over fourth-placed Lyon in the battle for automatic places in next season's league phase.

Whether or not they can sustain a title challenge, it has been an excellent turnaround for Lens this season under Sage, having missed out completely on European football last term with Will Still at the helm.

Marseille have hung around on the fringes of the title race, as they did for much of last season, and sit eight points behind Lens in third.

Roberto De Zerbi's men have suffered damaging setbacks in recent weeks with defeats by Lille and lowly Nantes.

Their confidence was dented further in midweek by a 3-0 Champions League humbling by Liverpool at the Stade Velodrome which left their hopes of reaching the knockout phase on a knife-edge.

Marseille are hoping to notch back-to-back Ligue 1 wins for the first time since November after a 5-2 thumping of Angers last time out.

"The real difficulty is playing 10 matches in a row like the one against Angers," said De Zerbi after the Liverpool loss.

"We just can't manage it. I sit on the bench and I don't know if we're going to be like the Angers team or the Nantes team."

PSG are in action on Friday when they visit Auxerre and could put the pressure on Lens by taking top spot with a victory.

The European champions have not fired on all cylinders yet this season and are still sweating on a top-eight finish in the Champions League and direct qualification to the last 16 after a midweek loss to Sporting Lisbon.

PSG were also dumped out of the French Cup a fortnight ago by city rivals Paris FC.

Player to watch: Ibrahim Mbaye

The winger, who turns 18 on Saturday, is back with PSG after helping Senegal lift the Africa Cup of Nations title last weekend.

Mbaye, who has already made 20 appearances for PSG this term, made a significant impact for the Lions of Teranga in Morocco and came on as a second-half substitute in the dramatic extra-time victory over the hosts in the final.

He scored one goal and had two assists across his last two games for PSG before heading to the AFCON, where he netted his second international goal against Sudan in the last 16, and will be hoping to pick up from where he left off with his club.

Key stats

2: Both of PSG's league defeats this season have come following Champions League matches.

7: Marseille have lost seven of their 11 Ligue 1 matches against Lens since the northerners were promoted in 2021.

5: Rennes have lost all of their last five Breton derbies against Lorient.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Friday

Auxerre v Paris Saint-Germain (1900)

Saturday

Rennes v Lorient (1600), Le Havre v Monaco (1800), Marseille v Lens (2005)

Sunday

Nantes v Nice (1400), Brest v Toulouse, Metz v Lyon, Paris FC v Angers (all 1615), Lille v Strasbourg (1945)

Y.Mori--JT