French football stadiums will witness crucial matches this weekend as part of the nineteenth round of the French League (Ligue 1), with all eyes on the capital, Paris, and the city of Marseille in a round that could redraw the features of the top spot.
Paris Saint-Germain and the quest for redemption
Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain have no time to rest or catch their breath as they face a tough away match against bottom-of-the-table Auxerre on Friday in the opening round of fixtures. The Parisian club enters the game reeling from a shock 2-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League, a result that leaves them on 13 points and in sixth place in their European group.
Domestically, Luis Enrique's men will be looking to close the gap on league leaders Lens, with Paris Saint-Germain currently in second place with 42 points, just one point behind the top spot. This match takes on added importance as it comes against a relegation-threatened Auxerre side languishing in 17th place with 12 points, making the encounter a potentially tricky one for the capital club.
Significant absences and technical challenges
Paris Saint-Germain is suffering from several key absences. In addition to the expected return of Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov in February, midfielder João Neves' participation is doubtful due to fatigue. Furthermore, the availability of stars Achraf Hakimi and Ibrahim Mbaye, who recently returned from the Africa Cup of Nations final, remains uncertain. Hakimi, who recently celebrated in Dakar, seems unlikely to play, while South Korean Lee Kang-in has returned to training, providing a morale boost for the team.
Top of the round: Marseille challenges Lens' ambitions
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on the Stade Vélodrome, which will host a fiery clash between third-placed Olympique Marseille (35 points) and league leaders Lens (43 points). Lens will be looking to maintain their impressive record and extend their winning streak to six consecutive league matches, as well as their unbeaten run to 11 games across all competitions.
For their part, Marseille will be hoping to capitalize on home advantage, boasting an impressive 67% win rate at their home ground this season, to bounce back from their heavy 3-0 defeat to Liverpool in Europe. Historically, Lens have been a thorn in Marseille's side in recent years, with the visitors losing only once at the Stade Vélodrome since 2020.
Indrek shines and Monaco's attempts
Away from the top of the table, fourth-placed Lyon travel to Metz, buoyed by their new signing, young Brazilian striker Andrique, on loan from Real Madrid, who quickly opened his scoring account in the cup. Meanwhile, Monaco will be looking to heal the wounds of their humiliating 6-1 defeat to Real Madrid when they face Le Havre, hoping to improve their ninth-place position and return to winning ways.
