PSG thrash Lille as they gear up for Champions League battle of the titans

Football fans will associate André Villas-Boas with racing, the former Porto, Chelsea, Tottenham and Marseille manager having made waves as a driver at the Dakar Rally, but if any manager is shifting through the gears at present, it must surely be Luis Enrique. PSG squared off against Lille on Saturday, a game that was circled on the calendars of French football fans for two reasons: not only could it be a real test for both sides before their last-16 ties in the Champions League but it was also a game where PSG could lose in the league for the first time this season.

With Lille playing a rotated lineup at the Parc des Princes, it was barely a contest. Ethan Mbappé’s impressive cameo was the only bright spot for the visitors as PSG ran out easy 4-1 winners. They scored all four of their goals in a first half that Enrique called “our best of the year”. Critics of Ligue 1 will point out that PSG are 13 points clear at the top of the table, but Lille’s performances in the Champions League – they finished seventh in the group stage to set up a last-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund – suggest that PSG are capable of competing with any opponent on their day.

Their last-16 tie against Liverpool is a real battle of the titans. Six weeks ago Liverpool were walking on water, comfortably the best team in Europe as they won seven of their eight matches to top the group stage of the Champions League, but that title may just have been passed to PSG. Winners of their last 10 matches (and 19 of 20) in all competitions, they have become an irresistible force, with Luis Enrique able to rotate players in and out of the side while keeping the peerless Ousmane Dembélé the focus of the team’s attack.

The winger, who picked up a goal and an assist against Lille, has been the linchpin of his team’s attack, freed by Luis Enrique to drift between a central role and the right flank. With 18 goals in Ligue 1, he’s comfortably the competition’s top scorer, and he has also found the net six times in Europe.

Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola, who are also hitting form, were both on the scoresheet on Saturday. Doué has four goals and five assists since the end of January, having smoothly slid into a midfield role since the absence of Warren Zaïre-Emery, while Barcola has racked up the same totals. Their strong performances have also helped January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia integrate into the team. The former Napoli forward made his reputation playing on the left but, with Dembéle occupying the centre and Doué starting from a deeper role, he has thrived on the right flank.

Kvaratskhelia was rested for the Lille game, having run the show recently against Brest in the Champions League and Lyon in the league. Right now PSG have the second most dangerous attacking quartet in Europe after Real Madrid. Yes, there have been nervy moments this season, particularly in Europe, but Luis Enrique has his team at the apex of its powers. They could not face a tougher challenge than Liverpool, but they will be confident of making a deep run in the competition.

Ousmane Dembélé continued his fine run against Lille, scoring his 18th league goal of the season. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

As for Lille, doubts may be creeping in after such an unimpressive showing against PSG and some wavering form. They beat fellow Champions League contenders Monaco last weekend, but in recent weeks they also suffered an embarrassing elimination from the Coupe de France at the hands of Ligue 2 side Dunkerque, as well as a shock defeat in the league to strugglers Le Havre.

Injuries have played their part. Tiago Santos remains a vital miss, as does Edon Zhegrova, who will not return until after the international break, but Lille have increasingly looked what they are of late: a team capable of great moments but one stretched to (and perhaps past) its breaking by point by a long season.

The good news is that, like PSG, they have a handful of in-form youngsters, led by Icelandic winger Hakon Haraldsson. With Zhegrova still absent, Haraldsson has been their main attacking spark. The 21-year-old has shaken off a series of niggling injuries and is fulfilling his potential more often than not. Man of the match against Monaco with a brace, Haraldsson has been ably supported by a pair of young midfielders – teenage sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi and the DR Congo player Ngal’ayel Mukau, signed from Belgian side Mechelen last summer.

With Angel Gomes often struggling with injury and Nabil Bentaleb missing games due to a heart condition, the two youngsters have gone from strength to strength. Even with their two more experienced teammates back to full fitness, they are likely to line up alongside captain Benjamin André.

Lille and PSG are doing France proud in the Champions League this season and, even better, they are doing it by developing promising young talent.

Talking points

Better late than never? It took Marseille more than three quarters of the match to find the net against relegation-threatened Nantes in Sunday’s nightcap but they got there in the end. The eventual 2-0 win keeps them in second, six points clear of fourth-placed Monaco. It wasn’t pretty but, after last week’s collapse (and the implosion of Pablo Longoria), it was a much-needed victory that keeps them in pole position for a Champions League place – which is important from both a financial and a competitive standpoint.

Legends write their own stories on their own terms. Although Alexandre Lacazette may leave the club for a second time this summer, he has well and truly earned that status at Lyon. Despite recent struggles with injury and a battle with Georges Mikautadze for his place, the striker was at his clinical best when his side needed him most on Sunday, striking a decisive double as the hosts came from a goal down to beat Brest 2-1. With Lyon still aiming to finish in the top four in Ligue 1 and go far in the Europa League – they face FCSB in the last 16 – their talismanic striker will be crucial in the run-in.

Speaking of legends, André Ayew isn’t done writing his story either. The veteran Ghanaian scored one goal and set up another in a thrilling 4-3 win for Le Havre against Lens. Lens are still not in the best nick after losing three key players in January, but Le Havre will not mind as the victory pulls them out of the bottom three. Ayew, who has four goals since the turn of the year, may be elemental in helping his team avoid the drop.