Paris St Germain boss Luis Enrique expects his Ligue 1 pacesetters to face a tough test at Lens’ Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Sunday.

The capital club have not won at the venue since 2014, losing twice during their last three visits and drawing the other.

Lens have slipped to seventh after winning just one of their last three matches but Enrique is aware of their qualities.

The 53-year-old Spaniard told a press conference: “They have all the ingredients a top-level team could want.

“They are almost unbeatable at home, they play good football and they get good results – and they don’t give you time to think.

“Each game is a challenge. Regardless of the level of the opponent, there is always a goal to achieve.

“Of course tomorrow we are facing a team almost unbeatable at home, who play good football, press high and take up good spaces when they are on the ball.

“They put in a lot of crosses and make it dangerous for you with their attackers, who are good at getting into spaces.

“We already faced them at the Parc des Princes and it was a great game. If they (the PSG players) hadn’t been inspired, Lens would have won.

“It is a really good test for us at a fantastic stadium with an amazing atmosphere, so I am very excited.

“The only thing I wouldn’t forgive my team for is that if they are not brave or daring. That has been the case in every game this season.”

The PSG boss, who saw his team win 9-0 at amateur team Revel in the French Cup last time out, was giving little away about his team selection.

However, he did not complain about being without Achraf Hakimi and Lee Kang-in, who are on international duty with Morocco and South Korea respectively.

Enrique continued: “I am the coach and I decide who plays. We never complain about player absences. If I start to do that, imagine what the situation would be for other coaches in Ligue 1.

“We have to solve all problems that come up during the season.”

The manager ominously insisted his defending champions – who are currently five points clear at the top of the table and unbeaten away from home – would get stronger as the season progressed.

He explained: “I have known for a long time that we would be better in February. Of course you want the team to be a better team but the team will be stronger in February, March, April and May.

“I’m a really optimistic person and I think the hard work by the players is paying off.”

Mikel Arteta admitted it was a “genuine dream” watching Arsenal’s dominant 6-0 victory over Lens at the Emirates Stadium which saw them qualify for the Champions League last 16.

The Gunners topped Group B with a game to spare after they battered their French opponents with six different goalscorers.

Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard struck in the first half before Jorginho added their sixth from the penalty spot late on.

Arsenal boss Arteta talked up his team’s determination which secured the club’s 100th Champions League victory.

“It was a genuine dream,” Arteta said.

“We had a chance to qualify today and we’ve done it in a really convincing way against a really good side. The team from the beginning showed a lot of aggression and determination to go for the game.

“It’s great we’re able to win in this way and we showed at home not to concede any goals and score a lot which is a positive factor. The players need to believe we can do that against big opponents.”

The Spaniard noted that qualification with a game to spare allows him to rotate in Arsenal’s final group fixture against PSV Eindhoven on December 12.

Arteta added: “Every time we play a football match we’ll prepare in the best way but it will give us some room now certainly in relation to the state of the squad by being able to use certain players more or less.”

Havertz scored his second in as many games after the German netted a dramatic late winner in Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League victory at Brentford.

The attacker’s influence in recent games has impressed Arteta after a difficult start to life in north London since his reported £65million move from Chelsea in the summer.

“Kai again scored two goals in two games and that’s really good for the confidence of the player,” he added.

“He’s scoring goals, playing well, participating in wins. Those are positive attributes and you can see the reception of his team-mates and the crowd singing his name and being with him in every positive action.

“These are good things that are going to help him show why he’s a tremendous player.”

Declan Rice had another flawless game in midfield and Arteta applauded the England international’s consistency and decision-making.

He said: “He was superb again today with the consistency and understanding of the game that he’s showing.

“The decision-making all the time and the action and timing to win the ball back is so good.”

Arsenal stylishly cruised into the Champions League knockout stages as Group B winners by thrashing French club Lens 6-0 at Emirates Stadium.

The Premier League leaders kicked off needing just a point to reach the last 16 of the competition following PSV Eindhoven’s 3-2 comeback win at Sevilla earlier on Wednesday evening.

Mikel Arteta’s men duly delivered in devastating fashion thanks to first-half goals from Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard.

Substitute Jorginho completed the scoring with a late penalty, awarded following VAR intervention for a handball by Abdukodir Khusanov.

A one-sided encounter in north London was marred slightly by visiting fans throwing a lit flare at home supporters in the aftermath of Saka’s 23rd-minute strike.

With first place in the pool emphatically secured with a game to spare, Gunners boss Arteta now has the luxury of being able to rotate his squad for next month’s visit to Eindhoven amid a hectic December fixture list which could determine the seriousness of his side’s title ambitions.

The Spaniard made just two changes from Saturday’s dramatic 1-0 win at Brentford, which moved the Gunners top of the table.

Havertz was recalled as reward for his late winner against the Bees, while on-loan goalkeeper David Raya was restored having been cup-tied against his parent club.

Arsenal controlled proceedings from the first whistle and quickly blew away last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up.

The recalled Havertz, who had already headed narrowly wide, capitalised on static defending to open the scoring in the 13th minute, poking beyond France keeper Brice Samba from close range following Jesus’ nod down.

Lens’ vocal travelling support responded by throwing a pyrotechnic device on to the field before quickly seeing the game run away from their outclassed team.

Jesus doubled the hosts’ advantage in the 21st minute, calmly sidestepping Kevin Danso and coolly slotting past Samba following strong running from Saka.

England forward Saka quickly added to the punishment by finishing with his left thigh on the rebound after Samba poorly parried Martinelli’s initial effort.

That unorthodox finish led to unsavoury scenes as an active flare was launched from the away end into home spectators in the tier above.

Dominant Arsenal continued to shine brighter on the pitch and Martinelli lit up the contest with a wonderful fourth with only 27 minutes on the clock.

The Brazil international raced away down the left flank and then cut inside Przemyslaw Frankowski to curl a sumptuous finish into the far corner.

Arsenal’s first defeat of the season came in the reverse fixture in northern France at the start of October.

On this evidence, most inside the ground must have been wondering how, albeit Lens’ Facundo Medina rattled the right post from distance during a rare foray forward.

That proved to a fleeting moment of positivity for the away side, who went into the break 5-0 down after Odegaard expertly volleyed home Takehiro Tomiyasu’s cross.

Arteta used a more subdued second period to rest some of his star names, with Saka and the outstanding Declan Rice among those withdrawn.

Substitute Reiss Nelson came close to adding to the visitors’ embarrassment but his deflected effort was repelled by former Nottingham Forest keeper Samba.

Lens’ misery was completed four minutes from time when Jorginho calmly sent Samba the wrong way from the spot after substitute Khusanov was punished for handling on review.

Mikel Arteta defended his decision to play Bukayo Saka as the Arsenal winger limped out of their Champions League defeat to Lens.

The Gunners had taken the lead through Gabriel Jesus but Adrien Thomasson levelled following a David Raya error before Saka hobbled out of the game.

Lens would go on to win 2-1 courtesy of a second-half strike from Elye Wahi but it was the injury to Saka that will have concerned Arteta more.

Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City visit the Emirates Stadium in five days and Saka’s involvement is now in doubt with the England forward having been forced off in the last three games.

Asked if he regretted picking Saka following his issues against both Tottenham and Bournemouth, Arteta replied: “No. It was a knock that he had the other day and he was perfectly fine. It was a back-heel, an action that can produce that kind of injury.

“Let’s see what the extent of it is and afterwards it’s too late. The last few were more knocks than anything else.

“He hasn’t really missed games. We gave him a break against Brentford (in the Carabao Cup) last week and that was all.

“He tried to backheel a ball in the first half and felt something muscular. He felt uncomfortable to carry on so we had to take him off.

“We don’t know anything more. It was big enough not to allow him to continue to play the game and that’s a worry for us.

“He was really looking forward to playing like every player. It was a big Champions League night. I painted a picture and the type of scenario we were going to face today and they all knew about it.

“But this Champions League is so difficult to win away from home. Today we take a big lesson.”

The defeat ended a forgettable 24 hours for Arsenal after bad weather grounded Arteta and his players at Luton airport for five hours on Monday as their journey to France was delayed.

Now their hopes of avoiding a bumpy ride in qualifying for the knockout stages have also suffered a setback after a turbulent night at a rocking Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

“No, let’s not put excuses,” Arteta said when asked if the preparations for the game had impacted on a poor team performance.

“First of all, congratulations to Lens. They are a really good side. Really well coached. We knew it was going to be a really tough match.

“In the boxes we had four or five chances we didn’t put away and we didn’t defend the boxes well enough.

“It’s true there were moments in the second half we struggled to be more threatening in the final third and find spaces.

“They defended with those numbers really good. That’s something to take for the next game.”

Lens had started the season slowly but won their two Ligue 1 games leading into a first Champions League home game in 21 years and defender Kevin Danso was delighted with the outcome.

“We gave it our all today in front of our own fans,” he said.

“It was a difficult game, Arsenal had a lot of quality and made us sit back really deep, but we kept defending and kept our concentration. Luckily we won the game.

“At home we know how strong we are, in front of our fans. That’s what we always try to do: win at home. I’m a bit gutted about the clean sheet, but we’ll take the three points definitely.”

Rennes edged out Lille and Monaco to secure a top-four finish while Nantes' first league win since February saw them stay up at Auxerre's expense on a dramatic final day of Ligue 1 action.

Rennes clinched a 2-1 victory against Brest thanks to a Benjamin Bourigeaud brace, seizing on Lille's 1-1 draw with relegated Troyes and Monaco's 2-1 reverse against Toulouse to take fourth.

Bruno Genesio's side thus secured Europa League football for next season, while Paulo Fonseca's Lille must settle for a Europa Conference League spot and Monaco missed out entirely.

Champions Paris Saint-Germain squandered a two-goal lead in a 3-2 loss to Clermont, meaning they finished just one point clear of runners-up Lens, who ended the season with a 3-1 win at Auxerre.

That victory allowed Nantes to finalise a great escape in their final game, vaulting Auxerre to secure safety with a 1-0 win over relegated Angers.

Nantes therefore secured top-flight football for another year, evading the expanded four-team relegation zone by a single point ahead of the division being cut to 18 teams.

Auxerre, Ajaccio, Troyes and Angers will play in Ligue 2 next season, with Le Havre and either Metz or Bordeaux coming up from the second tier.

Christophe Galtier felt Paris Saint-Germain could have delivered a bigger victory after Kylian Mbappe made Ligue 1 history in their 3-1 win over Lens.

The forward became the club's all-time top goalscorer in the competition after he struck in the first half amid a ruthless purple patch at Parc des Princes.

Further goals inside a blistering nine-minute spell for Vitinha and Lionel Messi helped the hosts run rampant against their title rivals, who had Salis Abdul Samed sent off beforehand.

But even with a comfortable result, Galtier felt his side could have delivered a more impressive second-half performance to match the occasion.

"It was important [to get the win]," he told Canal+. It was a pleasure to win. We benefited from the numerical advantage [we had] in the first half.

"[But] as much in the second half, we let ourselves go a little bit. The positions were no longer respected. We should have been more serious. We have them a little hope."

Victory refocused matters for Galtier on the pitch following a week in which he had dominated headlines off it following allegations of racism during his time in charge of Nice.

The coach is taking legal action over the claims which he denies, which stems from an email allegedly sent by former Nice football director Julien Fournier at the end of last season.

PSG have given their unreserved backing to Galtier, and touching on the matter, he thanked fans for their messages of goodwill and solidarity.

"It is important to have a lot of support, both [in] public, but also on a personal level," he added. "It is a great pleasure.

"All the messages that I have received publicly, it warms my heart, as much for me as for my family, my name. All my life I have been enriched by diversity, that's for sure."

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).

Lois Openda scored a hat-trick in Lens' 4-0 win at Clermont on Sunday in just four minutes and 30 seconds, the fastest in Ligue 1 since 1967.

The 23-year-old grabbed his first goal in the 30th minute at the Stade Gabriel Montpied after racing onto a lofted pass from the left from Angelo Fulgini before putting the ball through the legs of Clermont goalkeeper Mory Diaw.

In the 34th minute he took advantage of a defensive error from the hosts as he finished off a neat square pass from Adrien Thomasson, before completing his hat-trick just 66 seconds later when Mateusz Wieteska underhit a backpass, allowing Openda to round Diaw and finish.

The Belgian striker also managed to add an assist in the second half as he pulled the ball back from the right for substitute Alexis Claude-Maurice to make it 4-0 to the visitors.

Openda's treble was just the second this century to be achieved in under five minutes, beating Matt Moussilou's for Lille against Istres in April 2005 by four seconds.

According to Opta, he is only the third Ligue 1 player to score a hat-trick inside five minutes in the last 75 years, along with Moussilou and Michel Margottin for Angers against Rouen in February 1967. The exact hat-trick time for Margottin in that match 56 years ago was not recorded.

Only Manchester City's Erling Haaland has scored more hat-tricks this season in the top five European leagues (four) than Openda, whose treble against Clermont was his second of the season after also hitting three goals against Toulouse in October.

Paris Saint-Germain did not lose to Lens simply because Lionel Messi and Neymar were unavailable, according to captain Marquinhos.

The Ligue 1 leaders slipped to a first loss of the season, with goals for Przemyslaw Frankowski, Lois Openda and Alexis Claude-Maurice ensuring a 3-1 defeat at Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Sunday.

Christophe Galtier's side were missing key personnel, with Messi only just returning from a post-World Cup victory break and Neymar banned after a red card against Strasbourg.

However, Marquinhos refused to cite the lack of the former Barcelona pair, instead suggesting PSG were simply outclassed by a superior opponent.

"They are great players who make the difference," Marquinhos told Amazon Prime Video. "But we have already won without them.

"We have to find the cohesion of our team again. I think Lens were more efficient, especially in the first half. They won the duels which made the difference.

"We had opportunities to come back, to score, but we weren't able to be as efficient as they were."

PSG's defeat was their first in Ligue 1 since March last year against Monaco, ending a 25-game streak without a loss in the top-flight.

It marked a first competitive reverse as PSG head coach for Galtier, after succeeding Mauricio Pochettino ahead of this campaign, and he felt his side gave an uncharacteristic account of themselves.

"Lens deserve this victory," Galtier said. "I had a hard time recognising my team. We lacked cohesion, we collapsed as the match progressed.

"We gave a lot of space away, we made a lot of technical errors. There was a lot of surprising wastefulness from my boys. They don't give me that habit usually."

Paris Saint-Germain slipped to a first defeat of the season as second-placed Lens demonstrated their Ligue 1 title credentials with an impressive 3-1 victory at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

Goals for Przemyslaw Frankowski, Lois Openda and Alexis Claude-Maurice in an entertaining New Year's Day contest reduced PSG's lead at the summit to four points.

Hugo Ekitike equalised in the first half, but Christophe Galtier's side were second best in their first game of 2023 as they await the return of Lionel Messi following his World Cup triumph with Argentina.

It was a dream start to 2023 for Lens boss Franck Haise, who celebrated his 100th match in charge in style.

A raucous crowd did not have to wait long for fireworks, with Frankowski on hand to apply the finish after Gianluigi Donnarumma could only parry Massadio Haïdara’s strike into his path five minutes in.

PSG promptly struck back three minutes later, when Ekitike poked a finish beyond Brice Samba, though the Lens keeper claimed the ball was kicked out of his hands by the forward.

Lens took that setback in their stride, and they were back in front with a goal on the break just before the half-hour mark, Openda taking a pass from captain Seko Fofana and beating Marquinhos before firing under Donnarumma.

Things went from bad to worse for PSG when Openda turned provider with a superb backheel for Claude-Maurice to rifle home two minutes after the restart.

There was no way back for the Parisian giants as Lens showed they are capable of putting up a serious title fight.

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Christophe Galtier says the club will only make signings in January if players leave the Ligue 1 leaders.

PSG needed a stoppage-time penalty from Kylian Mbappe to seal a nervy 2-1 win over Strasbourg in their first game after the World Cup on Wednesday.

That ensured they will end the year seven points clear at the Ligue 1 summit, and Galtier does not envisage the club dipping into the transfer market when the window opens on Sunday.

"I am very happy and very satisfied with the squad I have," he said ahead of his side's visit to Lens on New Year's Day.

"There will be no arrivals if there are no departures. There are no players who have asked to move. It means that the players are good here. 

"It's a long period, we have to see how things evolve. 

"A defender is not needed. We have El Chadaille Bitshiabu, who played against Strasbourg. He has enormous potential. We place a lot of hope in him. 

"Going for a defender would be blocking space for him. We want to promote our local talents."

Mbappe's last-gasp intervention against Strasbourg marked his swift return to domestic action following France's defeat in the World Cup final to Argentina on December 18.

Despite scoring a hat-trick for Didier Deschamps' side, Mbappe and his international team-mates came up short as Les Bleus were beaten on penalties in the showpiece game of Qatar 2022.

Speaking after the game against Strasbourg, the 24-year-old acknowledged the pain of France's loss in Doha will stay with him forever, but Galtier does not expect his disappointment to impact on his performances for PSG.

"If I understood his statement correctly, he said it will take time to digest the fact of not having lifted the World Cup for the second time. It's normal," he added. 

"But showing such a desire to win reflects his state of mind and his mentality as a very high level champion. 

"He was still this morning very dynamic, very happy. He is a player who is growing every day. How lucky we are to have a player like that."

Bayern Munich have been left with a hole after Robert Lewandowski's exit for Barcelona.

Sadio Mane moved to Munich from Liverpool in the close season but he is not a like-for-like replacement.

Bayern have started the new Bundesliga campaign in indifferent form, following up three wins with as many draws.

TOP STORY – NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY BETWEEN KANE AND BAYERN

Harry Kane is increasingly open to the idea of making the move to join German champions Bayern Munich, claims Sky Sports.

Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg reports that negotiations have already been held by Bayern and Kane's brother Charlie, who represents him.

Bayern have made the Tottenham striker their number one target and can offer him the likelihood of silverware, in comparison to Spurs.

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano reports that Lionel Messi will not make a decision on his future until after the World Cup, but Paris Saint-Germain are planning to offer him a new deal, while Barcelona are interested in re-signing him. Messi is contracted until 2023 but there is the option of another year in Paris.

Jude Bellingham's list of suitors is growing with Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool all keen on Borussia Dortmund's English talent according to AS.

– New Chelsea boss Graham Potter has approved the club's pursuit of RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, with the club to try to sign him again in June 2023 reports Fichajes.

– Germany international forward Max Kruse's contract with Wolfsburg is set to be mutually terminated during the Bundesliga break, claims Sport.

– The Guardian reports that Lens head coach Franck Haise is under consideration for the vacant Brighton and Hove Albion managerial post, along with Bodo/Glimt's Kjetil Knutsen and ex-Shakhtar Donetsk boss Roberto De Zerbi.

Another Ligue 1 campaign begins on Friday after a big window for French football, the highlight of which was Paris Saint-Germain retaining Kylian Mbappe.

New arrivals in the league include returns for Lyon duo Alexandre Lacazette and Corentin Tolisso, while high-profile departures have seen Aurelien Tchouameni, Sven Botman and Nayef Aguerd depart.

With PSG once again investing heavily in their squad, adding the likes of Vitinha, Hugo Ekitike and Nordi Mukiele, the capital club are widely expected to storm to another title – but can there be an upset?

The verdict, unsurprisingly, is probably not – as Stats Perform AI predicted the outcome of the coming campaign, estimating the likelihood of teams finishing in each position informed by their expected results in each match.

These are calculated using betting odds and Stats Perform's team rankings – based on historical and recent team performances – and, while the title race is not likely to get going, there are some big battles elsewhere in the division.

PSG PARTY ONCE AGAIN

With one of the most expensive squads ever assembled, including the devastating attack of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, PSG are unsurprisingly expected to romp to another Ligue 1 success.

Having won eight of the last nine titles, Stats Perform AI has given PSG a 76.01 per cent chance of retaining their crown.

Marseille, runners-up last season, are seen as the side most capable of mounting a challenge, though their 7.29 per cent chance is slim. Monaco, title winners in 2016-17, are given a 6.55 per cent chance.

Lyon, once the dominant force in French football, have just a 4.29 per cent chance, while Rennes clock in at 3.44 per cent and Lille, the last side to prevent PSG from winning the title having lifted the trophy in 2020-21, have only a 0.71 per cent chance.

The gulf in class within French football is highlighted by the fact that nine teams, almost half of the division, are seen as having no hope in mounting a title challenge.

 

SCRAMBLE FOR EUROPEAN FOOTBALL

Unlike the other top leagues in European football, France has a limited number of places for qualification for UEFA competitions with just two guaranteed Champions League spots, one qualifying spot, one spot in the Europa League group stage and one in the Europa Conference League play-offs.

With PSG expected to surge to the title and take the first of the two group stage spots in the Champions League, with a 90.93 per cent likelihood, the scrap for the other automatic qualification spot could be fierce.

Marseille are seen as the favourites in that battle with a 29.97 per cent chance, with Monaco following suit with a 29.97 per cent chance.

Elsewhere, Lyon have an 18.7 per cent chance, with Rennes at 15.53 per cent, though they may have to settle for a third-place finish or a spot in the Europa League.

In the battle for fifth, and a play-off spot in the Conference League, it's also expected to be tight – with five clubs, as well as those already mentioned above, given at least a five per cent chance of reaching that spot.

Nice, Lens, Lille, Nantes and Strasbourg are all in with an outside shot of gunning for a spot in European competition, which could set up a thrilling battle.

 

REGULATION CHANGES INCREASE RELEGATION FIGHT

With Ligue 1 reducing to 18 teams from the 2023-24 season, the fight to avoid the drop to the second-tier will be fiercer than ever with the bottom four all being relegated – and there will be no play-offs either.

The situation looks bleak for Ajaccio (57.64 per cent chance of relegation), Clermont (57.57), Troyes (56.72) and Lorient (53.92), all of which are seen as more likely to suffer relegation than they are to avoid the drop.

Auxerre (46.58) and Toulouse (34.02) could also find themselves looking over their shoulders during the course of the season, while PSG, Marseille and Monaco are the three sides given no chance leaving the league through the bottom.

Of the promoted trio, it is Toulouse who are given the best chance of maintaining their top-flight status for another season – with their most likely position being 15th, with a 10.59 per cent chance of securing that spot.

Inter head coach Simone Inzaghi insisted his team are "on the right track" in their preparations for the new season, despite suffering a surprise 1-0 friendly defeat to Lens.

Saturday's friendly in France was a cagey affair, ultimately decided by a 91st-minute winner for the hosts when Lois Openda flicked on a corner at the near post, which looped into the far corner of the net.

Lens, who finished seventh in Ligue 1 last season, provided a stern test for their Serie A opponents, who fielded several of their new faces - including Romelu Lukaku and Henrikh Mkhitaryan as second-half substitutes.

They were unable to make a difference though, with Lens goalkeeper Brice Samba - recently signed from Premier League side Nottingham Forest - making several important saves.

Inzaghi felt it was a good exercise for Inter, who will be striving to regain the Serie A title next season after being dethroned by city rivals Milan.

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