Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille seek to rebound in Ligue 1 following midweek Champions League losses. PSG faces second-to-last Auxerre, while Marseille hosts league leader RC Lens at Stade Velodrome. Both teams aim to regain form amid domestic challenges.
After suffering defeats in the Champions League opening phase, Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille turn their focus to Ligue 1 action. PSG, the defending champions who won the European title last season, lost 2-1 to Sporting CP in Lisbon on January 20, 2026. Marseille was convincingly beaten 3-0 by Liverpool at home on January 21, 2026, marking their first back-to-back home losses without scoring since March 2022.
PSG has endured a mediocre patch, dropping two of its last three matches across competitions. The upcoming Friday clash against second-to-last AJ Auxerre offers a chance to rebuild confidence under coach Luis Enrique. "We’re not yet where we want to be in the league," Enrique said. "We need to keep working hard and trying to win. We’re used to deep defensive blocks. That’s often how our opponents play against us. We want to become leaders but Lens are in great form with 10 consecutive wins. It’s exciting."
Marseille, sitting third with the league's best attacking record of 41 goals after 18 rounds, faces a tougher test against leader RC Lens. Lens holds a one-point advantage over PSG and arrives with momentum from a 10th straight win across all competitions. The nine-time champions have shown brilliance in attack but inconsistency defensively.
Key figures include Lens' Adrien Thomasson, who has six assists and two goals since being repositioned deeper. PSG's Achraf Hakimi, returning from the Africa Cup of Nations where Morocco lost to Senegal, will not feature against Auxerre and is training indoors this weekend.
Off the field, PSG defender Lucas Hernandez faces accusations of human trafficking and undeclared work, as reported by Paris Match. A Colombian family alleges employment without legal framework and excessive hours; the Versailles prosecutor's office has opened an investigation.
