The Japan Times - PSG fix sights on another Ligue 1 and Champions League double

A 2-0 win away to Liverpool on Tuesday, in which they had to withstand fierce pressure before Ousmane Dembele scored twice, secured a 4-0 aggregate victory in their Champions League quarter-final.

PSG have now reached the Champions League semi-finals in three straight seasons since Luis Enrique became coach in 2023, as many times as in their entire history before his arrival.

The biggest hurdles are still to come with a last-four tie against Bayern Munich up next, but PSG could become only the second team in the modern Champions League era to successfully defend their title.

"You can see the maturity of the team now," captain Marquinhos told broadcaster Canal Plus in Liverpool.

"Last year we went through all sorts of moments, good and bad, which allowed us to gain experience. We managed to hold on and suffer through games away from home, and we did that again."

Europe is the priority, so much so that PSG requested the postponement of their pivotal showdown with domestic title rivals Lens last weekend -- and the French league were happy to accommodate them, despite Lens voicing their opposition.

On Sunday PSG return to domestic duty at home to Lyon, who are themselves scrapping to qualify for next season's Champions League.

The Parisians are four points ahead of their closest rivals with a game in hand, meaning the title race might well be run by the time the teams do eventually face off next month.

French champions in the last four seasons, and in 11 of the last 13 years, PSG also host relegation-threatened Nantes in a rearranged fixture next Wednesday.

Meanwhile Lens must try to keep the pressure on by beating Toulouse at home on Friday, before those teams meet again in the same stadium in the French Cup semi-finals next Tuesday.

"We are approaching the run-in and we want to see what we are made of," said Lens goalkeeper Robin Risser.

"We are keen to get the reward of Champions League qualification as soon as possible, and win the French Cup to make history for this magnificent club."

Player to watch: Endrick

The Brazilian prodigy arrived at Lyon in January on loan from Real Madrid amid much hype. Determined to nail down a place in Carlo Ancelotti's squad for the World Cup, with five goals in his first six appearances.

However, the 19-year-old's form then nosedived along with that of his club, as he found the net just once in his next nine games. Playing on the right flank, he often looked a peripheral figure in matches and was overly selfish, apparently just wanting to shoot from long range every time he got the ball.

Things reached a head when he was substituted against Angers earlier this month, just after returning from duty with Brazil. He was then dropped from the line-up for last week's game against Lorient, days after announcing his partner was expecting a child. But Endrick came on at half-time and played a part in both his team's goals as Lyon won 2-0 to claim a first victory in 10 matches.

He will now hope to return to the starting XI in Paris.

Key stats

12 - Marseille travel to face a Lorient side who are unbeaten in their last 12 home league games

100 - Olivier Giroud, aged 39 years and six months, is set to play his 100th Ligue 1 game when Lille face Nice

8 - Monaco's Folarin Balogun is hoping to score in an eighth consecutive Ligue 1 game. Only four players have achieved that feat this century according to Opta: Sonny Anderson, Shabani Nonda, Rony Lopes and Moussa Dembele

Fixtures (times GMT)

Friday

Lens v Toulouse (1845)

Saturday

Lorient v Marseille (1500), Angers v Le Havre (1700), Lille v Nice (1905)

Sunday

Monaco v Auxerre (1300), Metz v Paris FC, Nantes v Brest, Strasbourg v Rennes (all 1515), Paris Saint-Germain v Lyon (1845)

T.Kobayashi--JT