Barcelona head coach Xavi was left perplexed by a question about Lionel Messi and Bruce Springsteen on Friday, but said the club will discuss a potential move for Messi once they have won the title.

Springsteen is playing concerts at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona on Friday and Sunday, while many Blaugrana fans would like to see Messi once again playing his own greatest hits in the city next season.

Messi is out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the campaign, with rumours abound Barca could look to bring him back to the club where he scored 672 goals in 780 games.

At a press conference ahead of Saturday's LaLiga clash with Real Betis, a journalist asked Xavi if he will see Messi at the concert.

"I don't understand the metaphor," he said, laughing. "We don't know if it's going to happen or not about Leo. It's very soon. We are focused on Betis and winning this league, it would give us a lot of stability. We'll talk about possible signings when we win LaLiga.

"For Bruce, I would like to go but I don't have tickets!"

Reports have suggested the club will meet LaLiga officials to discuss the viability of Messi returning given Barca's ongoing financial concerns, but Xavi said the discussion will be more wide-ranging than just centring around the Argentinian.

"It's not just for the possible arrival of Leo, it's to improve next year's squad," he said. "It's not an important issue, there's a league to win. Mateu [Alemany, the club's sporting director] informs us and in theory, everything is going well."

With Barca leading LaLiga by 11 points with seven games remaining, despite losing 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano last time out, Xavi disputed the idea that the season has been a long one, suggesting it felt longer last year when they finished 13 points behind champions Real Madrid.

"I don't understand why you say it's getting long," he responded to a reporter. "Last season it was an eternity. Now I look at the table and I'm happy. Sometimes I don't understand it. I'm having a good time in this league. Who wouldn't have signed up for this?

"The other day we played the worst game of the season, but tomorrow is a good opportunity and there is hope to win. Last year it was long."

On the defeat at Rayo Vallecano, he added: "Madrid lost the day before [4-2 at Girona] and that happens. You're not always going to be outstanding, it's sport. What you have to do is react tomorrow and return to our game model and values. You don't have to look back."

Barca confirmed on Friday that Andreas Christensen and Ousmane Dembele will be back in the squad after recovering from injuries, much to Xavi's delight.

On Dembele, he said: "The injury was in an area that was more difficult to heal. He's fine and happy. We'll see if we play him from the start or as a substitute, but it's very important news for us.

"We have missed him. He is the best footballer one-on-one, there are few in the world like him. Ask the LaLiga full-backs who they prefer. He is a player with tremendous speed, he is a differential. It is logical that we have missed him."

Juan Mata has named Didier Drogba as the best team-mate he played alongside in the Champions League, while Lionel Messi is the Spaniard's most revered opponent.

Drogba, a legend at Stamford Bridge, scored the winning spot-kick in Chelsea's penalty shoot-out victory over Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League final.

It brought up Chelsea's first European crown, one they followed up nine years later by beating Manchester City 1-0 in Porto.

Drogba's coolly taken penalty was his memorable final contribution during his first stint at Chelsea, albeit he returned for a brief second spell in 2014.

Mata, who now plays for Galatasaray, had left for Manchester United by that time, but for him, Drogba will always be the former team-mate synonymous with big Champions League moments.

"If I think about the Champions League, and the times we played together at Chelsea, and when we won the competition, the first big man that comes to mind is Didier Drogba," Mata said in an interview with the Go Turkiye YouTube Channel.

"He scored the goal in the final, he scored the last penalty, he was a leader on and off the pitch, and he is definitely one of the best strikers of the last 20 or 30 years, so he has to be there. 

"He was very helpful to me during my time in London, and he comes to my mind when I think of the Champions League.

"I also have to mention John Terry, [Frank] Lampard, Wayne Rooney, [Robin] van Persie, and many other greats that I had the chance to play with.

"But when I think of Champions League and that final in Munich, it has to be Didier."

 When it came to the toughest opponent playmaker Mata has faced, there was only one player who came to mind.

"I'll have to go with Messi," Mata said. "I played against him in the Spanish league with Valencia, but also in the Champions League with Chelsea.

"I remember those semi-finals when we won it, and he missed a penalty, and he was very unlucky.

"But he is an unbelievable player, still playing at such a great level, we got to see what he did at the World Cup.

"I admire him, and it was a pleasure for me to play against him, hopefully we can play against each other again.

"For me, I have to say he is the one."

Hamit Altintop, who played for Bayern and Real Madrid, echoed Mata's sentiment, though it was not as easy for the former Turkey international to pick out an individual.

"Didier is a real leader on and off the pitch, I played with him in Galatasaray," he added.

"One of my friends asked me if I could make my best XI. In goal: Oliver Kahn, Manuel Neuer, Iker Casillas… These names are all unbelievable players that get mentioned if you talk about the Champions League.

"Iker Casillas is amazing, Cristiano [Ronaldo] the same, if you're talking about the Champions League, you have to mention Messi, of course. All of these names come to mind."

An Italian team is guaranteed to reach the Champions League final for the first time since 2017, when Madrid beat Juventus, with a Milan derby on the cards in the semi-finals.

Manchester City and Madrid face off in the other semi-final tie, and Mata pointed out it is not always the strongest team that goes on to win the competition.

"Sometimes in the Champions League, the best teams don't win, because it's not as long as a normal league, so sometimes you need a little bit of luck: a post, a save, a penalty or other things like that," the 34-year-old said.

"If you don't have mental strength, and if you don't all behave as one, you're not going to win. I felt like that is what happened with Chelsea at that time, we felt like it was meant to be, we felt that was the year.

"For me the mental aspect of football, sometimes it is undervalued, but for me it is key."

Barcelona's determination to bring Lionel Messi back to Camp Nou is going to be a major storyline during the next transfer window.

But their pursuit of the 2022 World Cup winner is complicated given the Blaugrana's financial situation.

As a result, Barca's squad are on notice, with expectations that key players may need to be offloaded.

TOP STORY – PREMIER LEAGUE TRIO TO SWOOP FOR RAPHINHA

Raphinha is set to be sold by Barcelona in the off-season with three Premier League clubs circling for his signature, according to reports.

The Blaugrana will need to let Raphinha go to free up space for Messi to return given the club's financial issues, claims Fichajes. Messi is out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this season.

Raphinha joined from Leeds United last year and his stay could be short. AS claims Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle United are all interested in the 26-year-old.

ROUND-UP

– Milan forward Rafael Leao has declined offers from both Real Madrid and Chelsea, claims La Gazzetta dello Sport.

– Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic is drawing interest from Manchester United , according to Croatian outlet Jutarnji, with the Red Devils uncertain on David de Gea 's future.

– Chelsea are tracking Brentford pair David Raya and Ivan Toney, reports Football London.

– Football 365 claims Aston Villa are circling for Emile Smith Rowe,  who is "disappointed" with his lack of game time at Arsenal.

– Leicester City defender Caglar Soyuncu's planned move to Atletico Madrid is signed and sealed, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Turkish defender's contract will run until 2027.

– Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg claims Yann Sommer could leave Bayern Munich in the off-season, with new head coach Thomas Tuchel set to restore Manuel Neuer to the side when he returns to full fitness.

Erling Haaland's goalscoring feats are comparable to those of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, according to Bernardo Silva, who believes his Manchester City team-mate shares the former's hunger for goals.

Haaland has led City's push for a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble this season, scoring at a remarkable rate since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund last year.

The Norwegian has hit 48 goals in 42 appearances across all competitions this campaign – already a record tally for a player representing a Premier League club. 

Haaland has averaged a goal every 67.2 minutes and converted 58.6 per cent of his Opta-defined big chances for City, leaving Silva to compare his mentality to that of his Portugal colleague Ronaldo.

"The goal figures, it's unbelievable. It's Cristiano and Messi level, that amount of goals," Silva told Arab News.

"Hopefully Erling can keep going that way because we need his goals until the last game of the season.

"He has definitely got the same mentality as Cristiano, always wanting to be in the box, always wanting to score. 

"He doesn't care if he touches the ball one or two times, when he touches it, he scores. He's just a proper striker."

Haaland's total of 54 goal contributions is the best of anyone playing in Europe's top five leagues this season, with Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe second with 42 (34 goals, eight assists).

With Ronaldo's move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr likely signalling the end of his era-defining rivalry with Messi, Silva was asked whether Haaland and Mbappe could be the protagonists of a similar struggle in the future.

"Probably, yes," Silva said. "You have a few players apart from them who are doing very well, like Vinicius [Junior] as well. But it's true, those two are very young and doing very well.

"Kylian is more of a dribbler with the ball and Haaland is mainly inside the box like a proper striker, but both are very, very good at what they do. 

"It's not going to be easy to match the level that Cristiano and Messi did, but they are up there at the top."

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo would like to see Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo face off in LaLiga before both players retire.

Messi has been repeatedly linked with a return to Barcelona, with whom he spent 21 years prior to leaving for Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in August 2021.

Ronaldo enjoyed nine trophy-laden seasons with Real Madrid, meanwhile, prior to playing for Juventus, Manchester United and now Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.

While there has been little talk of Ronaldo heading back to the Spanish top flight, Cerezo believes it would benefit the league for the two superstar forwards to return one day.

"It would seem fantastic to me if Messi returned to the league, the same as Cristiano Ronaldo," he said while attending the Barcelona Open tennis final on Sunday. 

"Both are still playing and it would be fantastic if they returned."

Cerezo was speaking ahead of Atletico's 1-0 loss to Barcelona, which leaves Diego Simeone's side 16 points adrift of the leaders and five behind second-place Real Madrid.

Yannick Carrasco played a full part for Atletico, though he may find himself at Barcelona next season as the Catalan giants have the option to sign the versatile wide player.

"Yannick is a very good player, fantastic," Cerezo said when asked about Carrasco's future. 

"In the world of football, there are people who want to achieve many things and don't get to, and others who don't want anything and get it. I don't know [what will happen next]."

Lionel Messi's club future remains uncertain, with his Paris Saint-Germain contract at the end of this season.

The two parties have not reached any agreement on a new deal, while there has been speculation linking the 35-year-old with a return to Barcelona.

Messi has also been linked with big-money moves to clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United States.

TOP STORY – PSG WILLING TO MOVE ON FROM MESSI

Paris Saint-Germain are willing to let Lionel Messi exit on a free transfer in the upcoming off-season, reports the Sunday Mirror.

Contract talks between Messi and PSG have stalled in the months following Argentina's World Cup triumph, having reportedly been close to penning an extension.

The report claims PSG are "in no rush" to extend Messi's deal as interest, with president Nasser Al-Khelaifi looking to run the club in a more sustainable way, relying less on star power.

ROUND-UP

– Bayern Munich's number one striker target in the off-season remains Napoli's Victor Osimhen following talks with officials and new boss Thomas Tuchel, claims BILD. The German champions are also keen on Tottenham's Harry Kane, Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani.

– Barcelona are considering off-season moves for Chelsea duo N'Golo Kante and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang , reports The Mirror.

– Fabrizio Romano claims Liverpool and Manchester United will both hold talks with Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister will take place "very soon".

– Brentford’s David Raya, Porto’s Diogo Costa and Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili are all on Manchester United's goalkeeper shortlist to replace David De Gea, according to GiveMeSport.

– Football Insider claims Aston Villa are readying a £55m combined bid for Manchester City pair Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips.

– Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou is on Chelsea's shortlist to be their new permanent manager, reports The Guardian.

Kylian Mbappe scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain edged out Angers 2-1 at Stade Raymond-Kopa.

Moving 11 points clear at the Ligue 1 summit despite a generally below-par display, the runaway leaders did the damage in the first half against the division's bottom side, whose relegation could be confirmed this weekend.

Mbappe's pair of well-taken goals inside the opening 26 minutes took his tally for the season to 34 in all competitions, though the visitors were denied a clean sheet by Sada Thioub's late strike.

Nevertheless, PSG registered their 14th successive league win over Angers, equalling their own record for consecutive victories over a single opponent in the French top flight (against Nantes).

Angers had the first opportunity when Batista Mendy's throughball released Ibrahima Niane, but Gianluigi Donnarumma was quickly out of his goal to deny him.

PSG broke the deadlock just four minutes later. Juan Bernat cushioned Lionel Messi's delicious diagonal ball into Mbappe who, despite fluffing his first attempt, recovered to eventually scramble home.

Messi was instrumental again as the visitors doubled their lead in the 26th minute, playing a sublime throughball for Mbappe to latch onto and round Angers goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni before slotting in.

The visitors pushed to stretch their advantage, with Achraf Hakimi firing over nine minutes into the second half, while Mbappe went close to completing his hat-trick when Bernardoni tipped over his dipping 35-yard effort.

Angers rallied and halved the deficit three minutes from time when Abdallah Sima cushioned Yan Valery's cross for Thioub to tuck home. But PSG held out to edge a step closer to yet another Ligue 1 title.

Wrexham's fierce National League title battle with Notts County has been comparable to the great rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, according to Ben Tozer.

There has been a great deal of focus on Wrexham over the past two seasons after the club were bought by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

The Welsh side have thrived in the spotlight, finishing second last year and falling agonisingly short in an epic play-off defeat to Grimsby Town.

Wrexham bounced back this season and are now in pole position for the single automatic promotion place, needing only to beat Boreham Wood on Saturday to seal their return to the Football League.

That is only after a remarkable tussle with Notts County, however, culminating in the dramatic 3-2 Easter Monday win at the Racecourse Ground.

Both Wrexham and Notts have passed 100 points, with the league leaders setting a points record for the top five divisions of English football.

For defender Tozer, that incredible standard encourages comparisons with perhaps football's greatest rivalry, which saw Messi at Barcelona and Ronaldo at Real Madrid hit their peaks at the same time.

"Everyone would rather have won the league by March, and that's just the way things are," Tozer said, looking forward to the Boreham Wood game.

"People generally want things easy, but if you want to go and win a league, it's tough, it's hard. You have to do the right thing day in and day out.

"And again, it's been great to have that pressure. It probably was the same. We'd both be pushing each other really, and that's okay.

"It's a bit like the Messi and Ronaldo situation pushing each other on. It's been tough and it's been good."

Javier Tebas would be making a "very stupid" move if the LaLiga president prevents Barcelona re-signing Lionel Messi, according to a director of the Camp Nou giants.

Juli Guiu, vice-president of marketing at Barcelona, reacted a day on from Tebas saying LaLiga would not alter its regulations to help smooth such a deal.

Spanish league chief Tebas is waiting for Barcelona's "viability plan" for next season, saying he hoped the club could "make the necessary moves to make space for Messi to come in, but of course we are not going to change any rules for Messi to sign".

Messi scored 672 goals in 780 games for Barcelona, setting records in both regards, but he tearfully left on a free transfer two years ago after financial restrictions prevented the club giving him a new contract.

There has since been frequent talk of Messi returning from Paris Saint-Germain, with his initial contract in France up at the end of the season.

It appears to be a strong possibility, and Guiu told Spanish broadcaster RAC 1: "It would be good news, not with the figures that have been published, but it would be great news.

"He is still the number one footballer in the world, without a doubt. [Manchester City's Erling] Haaland doesn't have the pull that Messi has.

"It is clear his return would be positive in the world of marketing, but that doesn't mean he's going to come back."

Guiu was asked whether Tebas would benefit from LaLiga having Messi back, and said: "Of course, and it would be very stupid if he didn't help us if this agreement ends up taking place."

On Wednesday, Tebas said there were ways in which Barcelona could fund a deal for the player who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in December.

"Barca can make moves; they sell players," Tebas said. "That's what we hope happens because I am a fan of Messi and I would like Messi to play in our league."

Barcelona "can make moves" to sign Lionel Messi, but LaLiga will not alter its regulations to help, even if Javier Tebas is keen to see the superstar forward back in Spain.

Messi, widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, left Barca on a free transfer two years ago after financial restrictions prevented the club from giving him a new contract.

There has since been consistent talk of Messi returning from Paris Saint-Germain, with his initial contract in France up at the end of the season.

But Barca's financial situation still has not improved to the extent they could immediately bring their great number 10 back into the fold.

Indeed, LaLiga chief Tebas told the Blaugrana last month they would have to recoup a significant sum in transfer fees and wage cuts before making any signing.

That remains the case, with the league determined not to ease its rules, but Tebas sees a path to Barca signing Messi again.

"As of today, no [Barcelona cannot sign Messi], but there is a lot of time left," Tebas said on Wednesday. "We are waiting for their viability plan [for next season].

"I hope they can make the necessary moves to make space for Messi to come in, but of course we are not going to change any rules for Messi to sign.

"Barca can make moves; they sell players. That's what we hope happens because I am a fan of Messi and I would like Messi to play in our league.

"But we won't change any rules. It is complicated, but I think they have the capacity to do it."

Messi's PSG deal included an option for a further year, while he has also been heavily linked with a move to Inter Miami in MLS.

Harry Kane's future at Tottenham is uncertain, with his contract due to expire in 2024.

As a result, speculation is developing about a move for the England international striker during the next transfer window.

Manchester United are known to be interested in the 29-year-old, while Bayern Munich were previously linked too.

TOP STORY – PSG TO CONTEND WITH UTD FOR KANE SIGNATURE

Paris Saint-Germain will battle it out with Manchester United to land Tottenham forward Harry Kane, reports Le Parisien.

PSG sporting director Luis Campos wants to bolster the side's attack and has identified Kane as their top target.

The French champions' president Nasser Al Khelaifi has a good relationship with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, which may help negotiations.

ROUND-UP

- Lionel Messi has decided to remain in Europe for another two seasons, amid speculation about a move to Saudi Arabia or MLS, namely Inter Miami, claims SPORT. Messi has been linked with former club Barcelona, having yet to re-sign with Paris Saint-Germain.

- Fichajes reports Barcelona are circling to make a move for Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold in the upcoming transfer window. Barca are hoping to sign him on a reduced fee, with the Reds to miss out on Champions League football next term.

- Liverpool will commence talks with Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister's camp soon, according to Fabrizio Romano, who said an off-season exit is a certainty.

- Newcastle United, West Ham United and Tottenham are all circling for James Ward-Prowse who has been told he can leave Southampton if they get relegated, claims Daily Mail.

- Inter have turned their attention to signing Borussia Monchengladbach's Marcus Thuram or Liverpool's Roberto Firmino, rather than making Romelu Lukaku's loan spell from Chelsea permanent, claims Gazzetta dello Sport.

- Fabrizio Romano reports Borussia Dortmund have agreed personal terms with Borussia Monchengladbach defender Ramy Bensebaini to join as a free agent in the off-season.

Liverpool are set for a busy off-season with suggestions that Jurgen Klopp and the club's management want a squad overhaul.

Among the key areas to address is their midfield options, leading to links to numerous players.

It was reported last week Liverpool have pulled out of the race for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

TOP STORY – REDS TO RAMP UP MOUNT INTEREST

Liverpool will ramp up their efforts to sign Mason Mount, amid a lack of a breakthrough in negotiations between the midfielder and Chelsea, reports The Guardian.

The Reds have now moved on from Bellingham given Dortmund's asking price, with Mount in their sights given he is out of contract at the end of this season.

Mount has offered no signs that he will extend his Chelsea deal, with Liverpool eager to capitalise and lure the 24-year-old England international to Anfield.

ROUND-UP

- Chelsea could look to join the race alongside Real Madrid for Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez, according to Fichajes. Alvarez is reportedly unhappy with his lack of game-time on the pitch at City.

- Manchester City are interested in an off-season move for Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies along with Real Madrid, reports Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg. Davies' contract runs until 2024 and he has held talks with Bayern on a new deal.

- Man City are also willing to let defender Aymeric Laporte exit in the off-season if he pushes for a move, claims the Daily Mail. Laporte, who is contracted until 2025, has fallen out of favour at City.

- 90min reports Arsenal are tracking Borussia Monchengladbach's Florian Neuhaus, who is contracted until 2024.

- Sport Witness claims Inter's Joaquin Correa has interest from Premier League trio Aston Villa, Everton and West Ham.

- Ex-Tottenham boss Antonio Conte will take over at Roma next season, with Jose Mourinho tipped to move to Paris Saint-Germain, per Calciomercato.

Real Madrid are eager to rejuvenate their squad for coming seasons with investment set to come in the off season.

Los Blancos are set to finish second in the LaLiga title race to Barcelona who hold an 11-point lead with nine games to play.

The depth of the reigning European champions, who are in this season's quarter-finals, has been tested at times this term.

TOP STORY – MADRID BOSS TO SWOOP ON CHELSEA TALENT

Fichajes claims Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has identified Chelsea quartet Reece James, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic as potential targets.

The latter three are all out of contract in 2024, meaning Los Blancos could sign them for free if they do not re-sign.

Perez is plotting to capitalise on Chelsea's downfall this term, with the club to miss next season's Champions League.

Kovacic previously spent three seasons at Santiago Bernabeu, while Mount has attracted interest from several top clubs given his quality and contract status.

ROUND-UP

– Lionel Messi wants to return to Barcelona when his Paris Saint-Germain contract expire at the end of this season, reports Fichajes. Messi will overlook offers from Saudi Arabia and MLS club Inter Miami to return to his former club.

– Manchester United are in pole position to sign French defender Axel Disasi from Monaco in the off season, claims Football Insider. Disasi is out of contract in 2025, with Chelsea and Manchester City also said to be interested.

– Liverpool have turned to Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch as an alternative to Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, claims The Times.

– Calciomercatoweb claims Arsenal are still in the race to sign Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, despite stiff competition from Madrid and PSG .

– Toni Kroos is set to accept a contract extension offer from Madrid and re-commit to the club for another 12 months, reports Marca.

– Chelsea have met with ex-Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann as they look for their next permanent manager, according to The Times.

Kylian Mbappe became Paris Saint-Germain's all-time top scorer in Ligue 1 as he helped them to a crucial 3-1 win over 10-man title rivals Lens on Saturday.

The forward made the most of Salis Abdul Samed's 19th-minute dismissal to net his 139th top-flight goal for PSG and overtake Edinson Cavani's haul, beating Brice Samba inside the box.

Further goals from Vitinha and Lionel Messi helped Christophe Galtier's side refocus on the pitch at Parc des Princes amid a week of off-field distractions.

Most importantly, it sees them open up a nine-point gap over Franck Haise's visitors, who face a monumental task to rein in the champions with seven games to go.

A cagey opening quarter exploded into life when Lens found themselves abruptly a man down, after Abdul Samed was shown a straight red for crunching into Achraf Hakimi's ankle.

PSG wasted little time in making their advantage count, with Mbappe driving his history-making goal in off the right post in the 31st minute as the prelude to a purple patch.

Vitinha buried a 25-yard rocket past Samba in the 37th minute to double the lead, before Messi played a one-two with Mbappe and slotted past the keeper three minutes later.

Hopes of a further rout did not come to fruition following the break however, and Lens were gifted a penalty lifeline when VAR cited Fabian Ruiz for a handball shortly before the hour mark.

Przemyslaw Frankowski duly sent Gianluigi Donnarumma the wrong way, and from there the visitors proceeded to punch above their weight in a lively last half-hour.

But there was to be no great comeback, and with three more points in their back pocket, it is PSG who hold all the cards heading into the final stretch of the season.

Christophe Galtier is in need of a lift from his Paris Saint-Germain players when they face Lens in a huge Ligue 1 clash on Saturday following such a turbulent week.

It emerged on Friday that Galtier has initiated legal proceedings after the PSG head coach was accused of making racist comments about players during his time as Nice boss.

Galtier, who denies the allegations, has been faced with calls for him to resign just over nine months after he took charge.

The 56-year-old has expressed his gratitude for the support he has received as leaders PSG prepare to face second-placed Lens on Saturday, when a victory at Parc des Princes would put them nine points clear.

Stats Perform pick out the standout Opta data for the big showdown in the French capital.

PSG must focus to gain revenge over Lens 

Lens beat the champions 3-1 at home on New Year's Day courtesy of goals from Przemyslaw Frankowski, Lois Openda and Alexis Claude Maurice.

Les Sang et Or are unbeaten in three matches against PSG, who responded to back-to-back home defeats at the hands of Rennes and Lyon by winning 2-0 at Nice last time out.

Lens are the only team the Parisian giants have not beaten in Ligue 1 since the start of last season.

PSG will be looking to avoid losing three consecutive home matches in the French top flight for the first time since April 2021.

Lens on a roll

With four consecutive Ligue 1 victories, Lens will arrive at Parc des Princes riding on the crest of a wave and knowing they must continue their excellent run to stay in the hunt for the title.

A tally of 63 points from 30 games this season is their best to date in the competition.

This is Franck Haise's side's longest winning run in Ligue 1 this season, and a double over PSG will have Galtier's men looking over their shoulders.

Mbappe on the brink of making more history

Kylian Mbappe will become PSG's leading all-time goalscorer in Ligue 1 if he finds the back of the net this weekend.

Level with Edinson Cavani on 138 goals, the France forward will also become the leading scorer for a Ligue 1 club in the 21st century with his next strike.

PSG's record goalscorer has not netted against Lens in three games against them, so this would be a great time for him to set that record straight.

Messi to emulate Mbappe and Hazard?

With 14 goals and as many assists in Ligue 1 this season, Lionel Messi continues to deliver time and again.

The Argentina captain could become the third player to score at least 15 goals and provide 15 assists in a Ligue 1 season since Opta starting records began (2006-07) after Eden Hazard in 2011-12 (20 and 16) and Mbappe in 2021-22 (28 and 17).