Paris Saint-Germain suffered a stinging defeat against Monaco (3-1) on Friday at the Parc des Princes for the 25th matchday of Ligue 1, raising doubts before the clash with Chelsea in the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday.
Lens has a perfect opportunity to close in on the league leaders by hosting bottom-placed Metz on Sunday. Meanwhile, PSG, gearing up for a crucial Champions League fixture, continues to struggle in 2026, showcasing efforts similar to the previous year but lacking control over the game’s outcome.
On Friday, PSG showed attacking intent but fell victim to wastefulness, exemplified by Bradley Barcola’s missed chances. Despite a lucky goal, PSG’s performance was lackluster overall.
The absence of Ousmane Dembélé at kickoff highlighted PSG’s lack of leadership, with other players like Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia failing to deliver inspiration.
Monaco, who impressed in recent Champions League matches despite elimination, capitalized on their chances this time. Maghnes Akliouche tormented the PSG defense and took advantage of a defensive error to open the scoring. Aleksandr Golovin redeemed himself with a goal, extending Monaco’s lead.
Monaco’s strong performance showcased their ability to transition effectively between offense and defense, earning crucial points in Ligue 1 under coach Sébastien Pocognoli.
