Preview: Lens vs Paris Saint-Germain - prediction, team news, lineups

In a matchup between the top two teams in Ligue 1 from a season ago, Paris Saint-Germain will travel to Stade Bollaert-Delelis for a date with Lens on Sunday as the Trophee des Champions is on the line.

Last season, PSG claimed the French top flight crown for a fifth successive occasion, while Lens walked away with their first-ever Coupe de France title.

Match preview

Following the best season for Lens in Ligue 1 under the current 34-match format, Dino Toppmoller has a tough act to follow in 2026-27.

The man who guided Eintracht Frankfurt to a third-place finish in the 2024-25 Bundesliga campaign inherits a team that were the best in Ligue 1 at home last season, averaging 2.47 points per game at Stade Bollaert-Delelis under current Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage.

Lens won 14 of their 17 home games in the French top flight last season, though one of those defeats cost them the title when Paris Saint-Germain beat them 2-0 in May.

In 2025-26, they managed to collect eight clean sheets at Stade Bollaert-Delelis, with all of those shutouts occurring in the last Ligue 1 season.

This is only their second appearance in the Trophee des Champions final, with Lens failing to find the back of the net the last time out in 1998 versus Les Parisiens in a 1-0 loss.

Les Sang et Or can claim their first victory against PSG since 2023, when they beat them 3-1 at home.

PSG can collect a second trophy in less than a week on Sunday after claiming their second UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday, defeating Aston Villa 2-1.

The reigning Ligue 1 and Champions League winners are seeking a fifth consecutive Trophee des Champions crown after narrowly defeating Marseille on penalties to win this competition last year.

Sunday will be the first time since 2023 that the Trophee des Champions final is held on French soil, as Les Parisiens aim to lift this trophy for a record 15th time.

Luis Enrique’s men lost their last competitive outing away from the Parc des Princes last season (2-1 at Paris FC in Ligue 1), but they have not lost a Trophee des Champions final since Lille beat them 1-0 in 2021.

This upcoming match will be the first time they play a final in this competition at Stade Bollaert-Delelis since 2020, when they edged Marseille 2-1.

Les Parisiens have gone on to win their last eight competitive outings versus Lens, while the reigning two-time Champions League winners won the only previous meeting against them in this competition back in 1998.

Lens pre-season form:

Paris Saint-Germain pre-season form:

Paris Saint-Germain form (all competitions):

Team News

A thigh issue may prevent Jhoanner Chavez from featuring for Lens this weekend, while Nidal Celik has a meniscus injury, Samson Baidoo is doubtful with a sore leg and Jonathan Gradit continues to recover from a lower-leg fracture.

Thorgan Hazard will hope to draw into the starting lineup for this final pre-season affair, having joined the team in mid-July, while Saud Abdulhamid was in the opening lineup against Sunderland, having signed a permanent deal this summer after spending last season with them on loan.

On Wednesday, Achraf Hakimi saw his first action for PSG since the Champions League final, with Maghnes Akliouche playing for the first time since signing from Monaco, while Lucas Digne will hope to see his first action after joining them from Aston Villa earlier this month.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue netted in their narrow victory in the UEFA Super Cup final on Wednesday.

Lens possible starting lineup:

Risser; Antonio, Ganiou, Nawrocki; Abdulhamid, Bulatovic, Haidara, Hazard; Thuavin, Ivanovic; Edouard

Paris Saint-Germain possible starting lineup:

Safonov; Hakimi, Beraldo, Zabarnyi, Digne; Neves, Vitinha, Zaire-Emery; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia

We say: Lens 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain

In Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France, Lens have proven to be a worthy opponent to PSG, but they cannot seem to find that edge when needed, and we believe the depth and experience of Les Parisiens will eventually find the decisive breakthrough.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.