Lens/PSG – Paris still bedding in, frustration, Dembélé… hits and misses! | OneFootball

This Sunday evening, Paris Saint-Germain lost 1-0 (Lens/PSG video highlights) to Lens in the 2026 Trophée des Champions at the Stade Bollaert. Here are the highs and lows of this defeat.

The highs

❤️ A PSG capable of dominating despite still finding its rhythm

The result is bad, but the overall performance is not entirely worrying. Four days after the UEFA Super Cup, PSG quickly took control of the ball and pinned Lens back into a defensive position. Kyllian Antonio’s sending-off reinforced that dominance, but it was already clear beforehand. With 69% possession and 21 shots, Paris looked physically ready enough to impose its game. The fine-tuning is more about technical sharpness, attacking chemistry, and finishing.

Doué and Akliouche, the main creators

Désiré Doué and Maghnes Akliouche were PSG’s most interesting attackers before the latter came off on the hour mark. Doué regularly beat his man and created imbalances, even setting up a huge chance for Dembélé after another dazzling run in the box. Akliouche made himself available between the lines, was active in combination play, and drew Antonio’s red card. Their lack of precision keeps this from being called complete performances, but their complementarity already looks like a promising lead.

Zaïre-Emery confirms his excellent start to the season

Warren Zaïre-Emery built on his performance against Aston Villa. Strong in duels, available under pressure, and energetic with his forward runs, the Paris midfielder maintained a high intensity until coming off in the 82nd minute. With eight recoveries, two successful tackles, and more than 90% pass completion, he delivered a complete performance. While several PSG players are still searching for their rhythm, Zaïre-Emery already seems ready to keep going.

The lows

😡 Far too sterile a dominance

PSG finished with 21 shots, only six of them on target, and still failed to score. Even more seriously, Paris played with a numerical advantage from the 39th to the 87th minute without managing to break down Lens’ defense. The chances were there, but inaccurate shooting, rushed play, and some poor decisions reduced PSG’s grip on the match to mainly territorial dominance. Fine-tuning can explain some of that wastefulness, but not fully excuse the loss of a trophy.

Dembélé let all his chances slip away

Brought on in the 60th minute to unlock the game, Ousmane Dembélé took five shots without finding the net. Only one truly forced Robin Risser into action:

Paris’ defeat cannot be pinned on one player alone, but Dembélé was supposed to bring the cutting edge that the starting XI lacked. His miss in the 81st minute will especially be remembered as the turning point late in the game: it was the clearest chance to snatch an equalizer.

Unusual frustration, with Nuno Mendes as the symbol

The emotional control that had recently defined PSG gradually collapsed. Doué was booked for a late tackle, Fabian Ruiz for a dangerous gesture, and Hakimi for a tactical foul. In the meantime, Nuno Mendes had been shown a straight red card in the 87th minute for an elbow on Michal Skoras. The Portuguese full-back symbolized a team that let frustration replace composure. Paris can lose a match, but it must not lose its cool along with it.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.