Injury storms shadow PSG as Lyon test looms, Marseille eyes a title bid

PSG’s injury-riddled mission against Lyon

Paris Saint-Germain, the reigning Ligue 1 champions, travel to Lyon on Sunday for the 12th round, carrying the weight of their first continental defeat of the season and a lingering injury curse. At the same time, Marseille is on standby, ready to seize any slip from the leaders and reassert their title ambitions.

Since their first domestic setback to Marseille on September 22 — a game in which several stars and coach Luis Enrique missed time due to injuries and Golden Ball festivities — PSG suffered another blow with a 1-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, the tournament they currently hold as champions.

The Bayern defeat was more than a blip; it depleted PSG’s ranks with key losses. Striker Ousmane Dembélé and right-back Achraf Hakimi were ruled out, later joined by left-back Nuno Mendes, restoring the familiar injury ghosts that have followed the club since last season’s continental glory.

Since lifting the Champions League and taking part in the Club World Cup in the United States (where they were runners-up to Chelsea) and then lifting the European Super Cup, physical fatigue has been evident in Enrique’s squad, who have been stretched by a demanding run of fixtures. Although most players have returned recently, these latest blows have rekindled anxiety among coaching staff and fans alike.

The initial setback came with young forward Désiré Doué suffering a thigh injury, followed by Dembele, Hakimi and Mendes, all set to be out for several weeks according to an official club statement. Enrique now faces a real problem on the right flank, having not signed a direct Hakimi replacement in the summer, and being forced to improvise with Danilo or Mukiele out of position.

Despite the quality of the squad, PSG’s physical form has dipped. The Bayern game highlighted a side that, despite having numerical superiority for much of the second half, failed to overturn the result after controlling possession. The young goalkeeper acknowledged the mental pressure on the squad, saying they must stay confident: “We’ve been through similar moments last season, and we finished as champions. We need to calm down, trust ourselves, and we’ll come back stronger.”

Lyon’s resilience under pressure in a high-stakes duel

Amid the tough period for PSG, Lyon aren’t enjoying better times. The hosts sit sixth, have failed to win any of their last three league games, and have drawn with Paris FC and Brest while suffering a European defeat to Real Betis. Their discipline has also been questioned after a couple of red cards in recent matches.

Nevertheless, Lyon can still shock. They’ve already beaten Lille, Lens, and Marseille this season, all by 1-0, thanks to solid defensive discipline at home. They have not conceded at home since the season’s start, making Saturday’s match against PSG a stern test of both teams’ physical and mental resolve.

The clash comes amid fireworks off the pitch: the fixture has been classified as highly volatile by the national anti-riot body (5 out of 5), and authorities have banned PSG fans from traveling to Lyon. The Parisians have the best away record this season with 11 points, while Lyon remain a formidable force on home soil, hinting at a heated battle inside and outside the grass.

Historically, PSG have had the upper hand in this fixture, and they have not lost in Lyon since 2019 when Thomas Tuchel was in charge. Yet Lyon have scored in their last six meetings with PSG, a trend that will keep Enriqué wary heading into the encounter.

On the Marseille front, the club under Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi watches closely for any slip by PSG, with a potential early summit if they beat Brest. Marseille’s recent form has been inconsistent, with just one win in their last five across all competitions, though their home record remains strong with 38 points since the start of 2025. Still, fans fear the volatility could jeopardize their title push.

In a parallel battle, Lens travel to Monaco in a keenly balanced clash between third and fifth place. Lens arrive with a peak start to the season (seven wins in 11 games) and their coach Pierre Sag knows that improving away form is essential if they want a European return, while Monaco look to rebound from a surprising loss to Paris FC by regrouping and building momentum in Europe as a confidence boost ahead of the big game.

Monaco, guided by their Belgian coach, is desperate to recover from that shock defeat and has shown a positive response with a Europa League win against Bodø/Glimnt, providing a timely lift ahead of the upcoming showdown.

PSG’s title bid remains fragile, but the drama is far from over