Ligue 1 Roundup: Lens Stay Top, PSG Win Historic Derby, Marseille Collapse Again

‎The Ligue 1 title race tightened over the weekend as Lens strengthened its position at the top with another dominant display.

‎Paris Saint-Germain kept the pressure on by edging a historic Paris derby in a tense, hard-fought encounter.

‎Marseille’s season plunged further into crisis after a disastrous home loss to Nantes.

‎The bottom half also produced late drama, shaping crucial developments in the relegation fight.

‎Lens Assert Power With Dominant Win at Toulouse

‎Lens continued their remarkable season with a comprehensive 3–0 victory at Toulouse on Friday night, tightening their grip on first place and extending their winning streak to seven Ligue 1 matches.

‎Franck Haise’s men controlled the match from start to finish, quickly taking advantage of Toulouse’s numerical disadvantage after Emerson was shown a straight red card for reckless play midway through the first half.

‎Even before the dismissal, Lens looked by far the more organised and threatening side; after it, the visitors simply suffocated their hosts.

‎Wesley Saïd broke the deadlock early in the second half, finishing from close range after sustained pressure. Toulouse, already struggling to make their mark with 11 men, offered little in response, and Lens pushed relentlessly for more.

‎Two late goals underlined their superiority. Adrien Thomasson struck in the 85th minute, and Ismaelo Ganiou capped the night with a stunning individual effort in stoppage time. The final scoreline reflected the pattern of the match, Lens in complete control, Toulouse clinging on.

‎The victory means Lens have now won 10 of their last 11 league matches, with their only defeat since September coming at Metz on October 29.

‎Toulouse, previously buoyed by three straight wins in league and cup, were brought back to earth, losing both the match and defender Djibril Sidibé, who was stretchered off in the dying moments.

‎PSG Edge Historic Capital Derby to Stay One Point Behind

‎On Sunday, Paris Saint-Germain ensured the pressure on Lens remained intact, beating Paris FC 2–1 at the Parc des Princes in the first men’s Ligue 1 Paris derby since 1990.

‎The fixture was historic beyond the rivalry alone it took place just 44 metres from Paris FC’s home at Stade Jean Bouin, the club’s temporary base after promotion. The occasion delivered, packed with intensity, storyline nostalgia, and decisive moments.

‎PSG dominated large spells of possession but took time to find breakthrough quality. Their patience paid off shortly before halftime when teenage midfielder Désiré Doué produced a composed clipped finish over Kevin Trapp.

‎Paris FC struck back swiftly after the restart, Willem Geubbels converting a penalty in the 51st minute following Illia Zabarnyi’s foul. But parity lasted less than two minutes.

‎Ousmane Dembélé, cutting inside from the right, saw his shot take a decisive deflection that wrong-footed Trapp, ironically a former PSG goalkeeper, restoring the champions’ lead.

‎Luis Enrique’s side held firm to secure a crucial win that keeps them one point off Lens and firmly in the title hunt.

‎Marseille Implosion Again As Nantes Punish Ill-Discipline

‎If Lens and PSG are rising, Marseille are plummeting. A chaotic 2–0 defeat at home to Nantes deepened the crisis around Roberto De Zerbi’s team, who now sit eight points behind Lens and look alarmingly fragile in both performance and discipline.

‎The disaster began early. Nantes thought they had taken the lead before VAR ruled their goal out for offside, yet Marseille learned little from the scare.

‎In the 26th minute, Arthur Vermeeren was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on goalkeeper Anthony Lopes, leaving the hosts with a mountain to climb.

‎Five minutes later, that mountain grew steeper as Fabien Centonze tapped in the opener after Gerónimo Rulli could only parry Matthis Abline’s effort.

‎Marseille completely unraveled in the second half. Bilal Nadir’s second yellow card reduced them to nine men, and former OM midfielder Rémy Cabella converted a late penalty to seal Nantes’ victory.

‎The match began with a minute’s silence in honour of former coach Jean-Louis Gasset, who passed away on December 26.

‎Despite the emotional backdrop and the return of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from AFCON duty, Marseille never found any rhythm, cohesion, or fighting spirit. They remain a talented squad caught in a spiral.

‎Elsewhere in Ligue 1:

‎Beyond the headline fixtures, the Ligue 1 weekend was filled with drama across the table.

‎Le Havre earned a crucial 2–1 home win over Angers thanks to a late strike from substitute Noam Obougou, moving the club six points clear of the relegation zone. Teenager Kenny Quétant earlier opened the scoring before Louis Mouton equalised.

‎Bottom-placed Metz claimed a valuable point away to Lorient in a 1–1 draw. Sadibou Sané put the visitors ahead, but Bamba Dieng’s diving header from Pablo Pagis’ cross ensured the spoils were shared.

‎At the top, Brest continued their excellent campaign with a stylish 2–0 win over Auxerre, highlighted by Ludovic Ajorque’s audacious back-heel finish one of the goals of the weekend.