The Parisians take the spoils against Lens!

An electric atmosphere for a mouth-watering encounter: the air in the capital was filled with the rarified taste of European competition as the two best teams from last season came face to face. Quite simply, all the ingredients were in place for a high-flying encounter between the French champions and their runners-up. For what he had described as a 'Champions League match', Luis Enrique concocted an attractive starting eleven with first starts of the season for attacking superstars Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé. The pair were supported in attack by Marco Asensio, while Manuel Ugarte, Warren Zaïre-Emery and Vitinha formed a complementary trio in the control room.

It was to be a hard-fought encounter against a side renowned for its fighting spirit. The start of the match confirmed this, with plenty of rough-and-tumble, constant running, laser-guided passes and lightning-quick runs... The intensity was palpable in all four corners of the pitch! There was no second-guessing; both teams sought to express their own philosophy of play.

For the first ten minutes, it was the Parisians who were able to put their foot on the ball and build on their attacks, while Les Sang et Or were game but forced back to resist the asphyxiating press - not to mention the incursions of Kylian Mbappé. But as the minutes ticked by, the game became more evenly balanced, with danger looming at both ends of the pitch. It was an ideal situation for our midfielders to express themselves, with Manuel Ugarte showing his grit and determination in the toughest of challenges.

In his image, our team showed a more combative face with every passing minute, and Kylian Mbappé had several opportunities to set the Parc des Princes alight (29', 31') and looked increasingly dangerous. A burst of pace, an acrobatic first touch, an express one-two with Paris's other TGV, Dembélé: the Parisian striker was on fire! But it was his strike partner Marco Asensio who provided the inspiration. After a quick counter perfectly led by Vitinha - and meticulously continued by Warren Zaire-Emery - the Spanish striker fired off a marvellous shot that ended up in the bottom corner! (1-0, 45'). Perfect timing just before the break.

Les Rouge et Bleu came back hungrier than ever, and the second half was even more intense. And that was reflected in the opening goal of the second half! Kylian Mbappé, set up by Lucas Hernandez, unleashed a missile that sent the Parc des Princes into raptures and the Parisians two goals to the good (2-0, 52').

But there was no question of letting up the pressure. Lens's desire to hit back was palpable, particularly after the introduction of Elye Wahi, who threatened on the counter-attack (65'). But our Parisians showed plenty of character to maintain control of the match. From the possessions picked up by Manuel Ugarte to Warren Zaïre-Emery's deft throws and Vitinha's strength in possession, Les Rouge et Bleu showed great collective control in midfield. Kylian Mbappé rounded off this fine display with a brace, finishing off a textbook move with a counter-attack (3-0, 90'+1). Guilavogui's stoppage-time equaliser was too late to be more than consolation (3-1, 90'+5).

With determination, a collective spirit and a desire to apply their coach's precepts, our Parisians mastered this clash against their league runners-up from start to finish. It was a richly deserved first win of the season, and a fitting start to the Ligue 1 campaign! We look forward to seeing you in Lyon in a week's time for another eagerly awaited encounter...