Kylian Mbappé, PSG
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PSG-Lens preview: Mbappé out as PSG prep for Lens

PSG-Lens preview: Mbappé out as PSG prep for Lens

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Publish on 04/30 at 16:29 - I. HOLYMAN

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Kylian Mbappé will not feature as Paris Saint-Germain continue their Ligue 1 Uber Eats title push at home to Lens on Saturday as next week's decisive UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg at Manchester City looms (kick-off 3pm GMT).

>> LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY: PSG vs. Lens

 

Mbappé picked up a calf injury in Wednesday's 2-1 first-leg loss to the English side at the Parc des Princes, and won't be risked as PSG seek to move into pole position in the domestic title race ahead of their midweek trip to England.

 

"Kylian is suffering from a calf problem. We hope that it's not serious and that he will be back with us as quickly as possible. It's true that Kylian is an important player for us, and it's always going to have an impact when you're missing an important player such as him. But we've also got players to replace him tomorrow," explained PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino, who is likely to tweak his starting XI.

 

"We've given priority to how the players feel. We need to respect the recovery time, that's the most important thing. Of course there are players who play less and who have the possibility of more game time. We need to find the best eleven possible after analysing the fitness of everybody."

 

He added: "Some players have recovered well. We're going to play again quickly. Tomorrow we need to win because there are only four matches left. We need to have a consistent and strong team. We need to find solutions in order to have the best team possible, an eleven that performs and is compact. We can count on a very high level squad, and there are different alternatives available to us."

 

Long-term absentee Juan Bernat and third-choice goalkeeper Alexandre Letellier are the only other players on the sidelines as PSG have the opportunity to steal a march on leaders Lille. Christophe Galtier's men — thrilling 3-2 victors at Lyon last weekend — head into Round 35 with a one-point lead over PSG, but play later on Saturday evening at home to Nice leaving PSG with the possibility of upping the pressure on them by easing into top spot with a fourth successive top-flight triumph.

 

That will not be easy against a Lens side that has surprised everyone after returning to Ligue 1 last summer. The northerners have strung together a 13-game unbeaten run to find themselves in fifth position and leading the race for UEFA Europa League qualification outside the top four.

 

WATCH: Lens stun PSG at season's start

 

 

 

 

With French football's biggest domestic honour at stake, Pochettino is aware he cannot afford to underestimate a side that defeated PSG at the start of the season in the wake of the capital club's UEFA Champions League final loss to Bayern Munich.

 

"We'll try to come up with an appropriate starting eleven, notably taking into account the physical aspect as we are playing a lot of matches," said the ex-Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur manager. "We know that we'll be up against a very physical team, they're very strong and the revelations of the league, fighting it out for European qualification. That's why tomorrow's match is the most important. Only after it will we start to think about Manchester City."

 

Lens make the short trip south without injured first-choice goalkeeper Jean-Louis Leca so Venezuelan Wulkier Farinez will deputise between the posts. Influential trio Loïc Badé, Issiaga Sylla and Massadio Haïdara are all suspended while Gaël Kakuta is still recovering from a bout of COVID-19 as Lens push for a first top-five finish since 2007.

 

"Are we challengers for Europe? That's the reality," said Lens boss Franck Haise, whose team are a point ahead of Marseille and two clear of Rennes in sixth and seventh respectively. "We're in front now, but Marseille and Rennes are on very good runs and Marseille seem to have a more simple fixture list than ours.

 

"Those teams are set up to go for fifth and sixth place. We've been challengers from the start, we know that. We were challengers in the relegation battle, now we're challengers for fifth and sixth, and that doesn't worry me because it's quite logical."

 

Probable teams


PSG: Navas - Dagba, Marquinhos (c), Kimpembe, Diallo (or Kurzawa) - Paredes (or Danilo), Gueye - Draxler (or Sarabia), Neymar, Kean - Icardi

 

Lens: Farinez - Gradit, Medina, Fortes - Clauss, Doucouré, Cahuzac (c), Boura - Fofana - Ganago, Jean (or Kalimuendo)

 

>> TITLE RACE: The next nail-biting instalment 

 

>> PREVIEW: Lyon's last chance against title-chasing Monaco

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