Lens are title contenders in Ligue 1 even if their manager won't admit it

"By this time last season, PSG were on the march. Unbeaten domestically until the end of April, after which point the league title was already mathematically ensured, Luis Enrique's side were infallible. But that is not a word that applies to them in the present, as their 3-1 defeat to a managerless Rennes side proved this weekend. The ingredients so apparent in what was their biggest ever win over Marseille a week earlier were absent entirely. There was a vulnerability about the team."

"Rennes exploited the space behind Nuno Mendes throughout; Illia Zabarnyi was a mistake waiting to happen as he has been for much of the season since moving from Bournemouth; and even Willian Pacho, faultless last season, has not been as imperious in recent weeks. The Ecuador international had his share of blame for Rennes' first goal and was passive for the third. It was less defensive fragility and more a perceived selfishness on the ball that incited Ousmane Dembele's ire after the match."

"Above all, we have to play for Paris Saint-Germain to win matches because, if we play alone on the pitch, that won't work. Last year we put the club above everything else, before thinking about ourselves. We need to rediscover that. We have to play for the club first and foremost before thinking about ourselves, said the Ballon d'Or winner. Quite the contrast from his comments a week earlier, when he proclaimed that PSG were back."

Marseille display recurring volatility, evidenced by a 5-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and the subsequent departure of their manager. Paris Saint-Germain have shifted from last season's domestic dominance to visible vulnerability, exemplified by a 3-1 loss to a managerless Rennes side. Rennes exploited space behind Nuno Mendes, Illia Zabarnyi made repeated errors, and Willian Pacho has been less commanding. Ousmane Dembélé called for players to prioritise the club over themselves, a remark that contrasted with earlier optimism and prompted a strong reaction from Luis Enrique. Lens remain calm and consistent, sustaining an unlikely Ligue 1 title challenge.

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