What was billed as a clean early-season marker in Ligue 1 turned into a test of squad survival. Hours before kickoff at the Parc des Princes, both benches had more bandages than options. Lens arrived short on their entire left flank, and Paris lost a starter even before the warm-up was done. By the final whistle, two more Parisians had joined the treatment room. The league leaders kept control on the pitch, but the calendar—Champions League included—won’t cut them any slack.
Team news: a left-side crisis for Lens, and more bad timing for Paris
Lens’ plan under coach Pierre Sage relies on the width and running of the wing-backs in a 3-4-2-1. That platform took a direct hit. Both players who normally occupy the same position—Chavez and Deiver Machado—were ruled out, stripping the visitors of their usual left-sided outlet. The loss wasn’t just about defending. In this system, that role is the release valve and the entry point for counters. Without it, everything gets harder: build-up angles shrink, switches of play slow down, and the back three are exposed when possession turns over.
The immediate fix? Improvised and imperfect. Udol, a natural full-back, was pushed higher to cover the wing-back lane, a move that asks him to do two jobs at once—hold width and protect transitions—against a team that thrives in those spaces. It also forces Lens to tilt their buildup to the right and compress their shape centrally, which suits Paris’ pressing patterns.
On the other side, PSG began the day with a notable absentee. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, a major summer piece for the left channel, was out before kickoff, removing one of Paris’ main ball carriers and one-v-one threats. Without him, the hosts needed more from Bradley Barcola on the dribble and from Vitinha between the lines to keep the tempo sharp. The 21-man squad still included pillars like Marquinhos, Vitinha, Barcola, and Gonçalo Ramos, but the margin for error was thinner than it looked on the teamsheet.
Match time was set for 17:15 CEST. The stakes were simple: Paris wanted to extend a perfect start to the 2025–26 campaign; Lens needed a statement result at a tough ground while patching an entire side of their formation. Neither got the prep week they wanted.
When the whistle blew: damage control, tactical tweaks, and a tight turnaround
The problems didn’t stop with the stadium lights on. Paris had to reshuffle during the match when Lee Kang-In came off injured, then again later when central defender Lucas Beraldo followed him down the tunnel. Two in-game disruptions like that change the rhythm, the pressing triggers, and the substitutions Luis Enrique would have penciled in for the final 30 minutes. It becomes about protecting structure and game state more than chasing extra margin.
Credit to the hosts: they held control despite the setbacks. The ball circulation stayed clean enough, the rest defense held shape, and the front line kept Lens pinned for long stretches. That kind of stability under stress is why deep squads win long seasons. But depth only stretches so far when the schedule ramps up, and Paris are days away from a Champions League opener against Atalanta.
Lens, for their part, looked like a team managing around a missing limb. Without their customary left wing-back, the back three had to slide wider in possession, leaving bigger gaps to protect on turnovers. The midfield two were asked to cover longer distances, and the front two creators had fewer quick outlets in transition. For a side that usually pours down both flanks, everything felt lopsided, which is draining over 90 minutes against a possession-heavy opponent.
What happens next is in the hands of the medical teams. Paris’ staff will evaluate Lee and Beraldo in the next 24–48 hours to determine the severity and whether either can make the Atalanta trip. Workload management will be a theme; September after an international window is when soft-tissue issues spike if minutes aren’t handled carefully. Kvaratskhelia’s status also matters: he’s the player who stretches the field, and his return would rebalance the attack immediately.
Lens’ focus is similar but more structural. Losing both first-choice options for one position disrupts training rhythm as much as match flow. If the timeline for Chavez and Machado extends, Sage may need a medium-term tweak: a back four to stabilize the left side, or a hybrid shape that lets the right wing-back push high while the left stays conservative. Neither is ideal, but it beats forcing a square peg into a round hole week after week.
To keep the picture clear, here’s what changed around matchday:
- Lens absences: Chavez (left-back/left wing-back), Deiver Machado (left-back/left wing-back). Formation impact: limits width and outlets in the 3-4-2-1.
- PSG absences: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (pre-match). In-game injuries: Lee Kang-In, Lucas Beraldo.
- Kickoff: 17:15 CEST at Parc des Princes. Paris fielded a 21-man squad with Marquinhos, Vitinha, Bradley Barcola, Gonçalo Ramos among the starters and core options.
There were knock-on tactical effects everywhere. Without Kvaratskhelia on the left, Paris leaned more on rotations between Barcola and Vitinha to create overloads, with Ramos’ near-post movement opening space for cutbacks. The downside of losing Lee mid-game is the loss of a connector who glues midfield to attack with short, sharp touches. That forces play wider and can make Paris more cross-dependent—fine when you lead, riskier when chasing.
Lens’ workaround put extra responsibility on the right flank to carry progression. That’s predictable, and predictability is what elite opponents prey on. When the left is patched and hesitant to push, turnovers come with worse field position, and the back line retreats earlier. It’s exhausting to defend that long against a team that can circulate and reset pressure phases at will.
The calendar takes no pity. Paris will have to balance recovery, scans, and a European game plan on a two- to three-day turnaround. Expect lighter sessions, plenty of treatment, and selection calls made after the final medical readouts. If one of Lee or Beraldo is unavailable, depth pieces step into bigger roles, and set-piece coverage becomes a priority given Atalanta’s aerial threat.
Lens’ path is steadier but not simpler. Reintegrating one left-sided defender would instantly change their ceiling; getting both back would restore the system. Until then, they’ll need clean game plans: narrow the pitch, tighten distances, and pick moments to break rather than trying to mirror their full-strength identity for 90 minutes.
For one afternoon, Paris showed why points in September matter as much as in May: they banked control despite a rough hand. The bigger story is what comes tomorrow—scan results, recovery times, and how both benches navigate a month that will ask questions every three days.