PSG is struggling to open a sizeable gap on its rivals in Ligue 1 title race

By Canadian Press on November 20, 2025.

PARIS (AP) — Paris Saint-Germain needed stoppage-time winners in the last two league games to narrowly stay atop Ligue 1.

The defending champion is two points ahead of Marseille and third-placed Lens heading into the 13th round, where PSG hosts Le Havre on Saturday.

There could be a shakeup with Marseille and Lens both facing tough games.

Key matchups

Marseille is first up at southern rival Nice on Friday night.

Although Nice’s form picked up nicely for a while, coach Franck Haise’s side has lost its last two games. Marseille’s inconsistent defense is on a good streak and Roberto De Zerbi’s side seeks a third straight clean sheet in Ligue 1.

Third plays fourth on Saturday when Lens hosts Strasbourg.

Both are good in attack. Lens is sharper since France winger Florian Thauvin joined from Udinese and coach Pierre Sage’s side has netted seven goals in two games, including a 4-1 rout of Monaco away from home.

Strasbourg boasts one of Ligue 1’s most dangerous strike pairings with Dutchman Emmanuel Emegha — the club’s top scorer last season with 14 league goals — alongside summer signing Joaquín Panichelli.

Panichelli tops the scoring charts with nine goals so far and the Argentine — whose father was also a striker — mixes penalty-box instinct with a penchant for spectacular strikes.

Players to watch

João Neves can’t stop scoring.

The midfielder’s hat trick for Portugal in a recent World Cup qualifier added to goals in consecutive games for PSG since his return from a minor thigh injury.

In PSG’s last game, the diminutive Neves timed his header perfectly to score a stoppage-time winner against Lyon. He also scored a hat trick for PSG this season.

Paul Pogba was once among Europe’s best goal-scoring midfielders but has not played for over two years. The 32-year-old former France and Juventus star could finally make his Monaco debut after a minor ankle injury. Coach Sébastien Pocognoli hopes to finally have him available for Saturday’s trip to Rennes.

Out of action

Monaco defender Eric Dier, who only recently recovered from a hamstring injury, is out with another muscle injury.

PSG’s star fullbacks Achraf Hakimi (ankle) Nuno Mendes (knee) are out for weeks along with forward Désiré Doué (thigh) and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé (calf).

Lille central defender Alexsandro is nursing a thigh injury. The Brazil international wants to continue his recovery at the Aspetar clinic in Qatar rather than have the operation his club wanted.

Off the field

PSG is locked in a courtroom battle with Kylian Mbappé, the club’s record scorer with 256 goals.

Both parties are demanding hundreds of millions of euros amid intense score-settling relating to Mbappé’s contract prior to joining Real Madrid in the summer of 2024. The $800 million case includes accusations of bullying, betrayal and harassment and is to be decided on Dec. 16 by an industrial court in Paris.

Meanwhile, promoted Lorient feels ambitious.

Club president Loïc Féry wants to fold his stake into the Black Knight Football Club group, which would become the sole shareholder.

BKFC owns the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL and acquired a minority ownership interest in minnow Lorient in January 2023 as part of its multi-club ownership strategy.

Féry wants to develop the club’s 18,000-capacity Le Moustoir Stadium amid what he calls soccer’s “hypercompetitive environment.”

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press

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