The preview: Paris-Lens

a look at the standings

With 2 points from as many league games, Paris Saint-Germain are in search of a first win to kick-start their season. After being held to a 0-0 draw by FC Lorient and a 1-1 draw by Toulouse FC in their opening two games, the Parisian club are 4 points behind AS Monaco and Stade Brestois 29, the only two clubs to have won twice so far this term.

RC Lens, meanwhile, have made a slow start to the season after suffering their first defeat of the campaign at Brest (3-2). Last week, however, Lens managed to put in a better performance in front of their home fans when they played host to Stade Rennais FC, ending in a 1-1 draw. With just one point on the board after two games, last season's runners-up will also be looking for their first win of the campaign.

a look back at the last game between the two sides

The two sides met on Matchday 31 of the 2022-2023 league season at the Parc des Princes on 15 April. It was a real battle for the title, as Paris and Lens were in 1st and 2nd place respectively, with a 6-point gap between them at kick-off. After a first quarter-hour in which the visitors had impressed, Abdul Samed's mistake proved to be the first turning point of the match. The Lens midfielder was sent off after just 19 minutes for a rash challenge on Achraf Hakimi. Twelve minutes later, Kylian Mbappé capitalised on some good work by Vitinha to open the scoring and take the lead (1-0, 31').

Moments later, the Portuguese player went on to become the scorer with a floating shot from 25 metres (2-0, 37'). The Parisians did not stop there, however, as the Parc exploded into life for a third time following a fine combination between Mbappé and Lionel Messi, with the Argentine finishing with his left foot (3-0, 40'). In the space of just ten minutes, the Rouge et Bleu had taken the game by the scruff of the neck against the Lensois. And Przemyslaw Frankowski's penalty on the hour mark (3-1, 60') was not going to change the outcome. Paris won 3-1 and took a vital step towards the title!

 the opponents' strengths 

Franck Haise and his team are mainly playing a 3-4-3 system. In goal, the talented Brice Samba (80% of shots saved last year, the highest percentage in the league) is the boss. This season, the French international goalkeeper has even inherited the captain's armband following Seko Fofana's departure.

In central defence, there are three essential elements in Lens' line-up. The experienced Jonathan Gradit, who made the second-highest number of progressive passes in the Lens squad last season (233), plays on the right. Austrian international Kévin Danso occupies the centre of defence, while Facundo Medina plays on the left. The former was the Lens player who won the most duels (82) and made the most clearances (124) last season. As for the Argentinian international, he had the most touches (2,728) among the Sang et Or squad.

In the wing back positions too, it looks like a foregone conclusion. On the right flank, Przemyslaw Frankowski is still a force to be reckoned with. Last season, the Polish international was the Lens player with the most tackles (51). But he is not confined to his defensive role, as he is just as capable of being decisive in the final third (5 goals and 3 assists last season). At the other end of the spectrum, it is Deiver Machado who is establishing himself as a potential starter. On the left flank, the Colombian international has a very attacking style, as evidenced by his 2 goals in the first 2 Ligue 1 matches.

In midfield, the Abdul Samed/Andy Diouf tandem looks to have the edge. The former has a primarily defensive profile, but he is also the Lens player who managed the most dribbles last season after Seko Fofana (29). Above all, the Ghana international was the most accurate passer in the squad (91.8%). As for Diouf, the France U-21 international joined the northern club after a successful season in Switzerland with FC Basel (57 matches played, 3 goals, 7 assists).

In attack, Angelo Fulgini and Adrien Thomasson appear to be the key players for Lens. Fulgini, who arrived from the Bundesliga last winter, has established himself as a key member of the Sang et Or side. As for Thomasson, the former Strasbourg man is one of the spearheads of Lens' attack, as demonstrated by his 5 goals and as many assists last season.

Up front, Florian Sotoca (8 goals and 10 assists last season) is a natural choice for a starting spot. Equally capable of playing as a second striker or on the right wing, his current role is set to be overhauled by the arrival of Elye Wahi from Montpellier. Scorer of 19 goals and 6 assists last season in the league, the French centre-forward could play his very first match for Lens in this Saturday's match.

a closer look at a PARISIaN: MILAN SKRINIAR

A regular in Paris Saint-Germain's first two official matches of the season, Milan Skriniar will be one of the players to watch out for this time around. The Slovakia international put in another convincing performance against Toulouse. With 116 touches, he was the Parisian who had the most touches behind Marquinhos (127).

A commanding presence at the back, the new Parisian has played a key role in his side's excellent start to the season from a defensive point of view. On Saturday evening, the club from the capital's No37 should once again be in contention for a starting spot in the Parisian defence. It's an opportunity for him to demonstrate all his qualities against a formidable Lens attack.