Paris Saint-Germain’s(PSG) coach,Luis Enrique, has insisted that they deserved more after being denied a second trophy by ten-man Lens.
“I think we deserved more,” insisted Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique after his side were denied a second trophy in five days. “But I have to congratulate Lens – they won, and they played very well, with their usual intensity… We played a very good match, but we didn’t have the luck we needed.”
Those words from the PSG boss framed a surprising afternoon at Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Sunday, where Florian Thauvin’s first-half goal secured a 1-0 victory for Lens in the Trophée des Champions.
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The result handed the French Cup holders their first ever Super Cup title and marked a perfect start for new coach Dino Toppmöller in his opening match in charge.
Lens were worthy winners despite playing more than half the contest with ten men. Thauvin, the new Lens captain, slotted home at the back post in the 32nd minute after Matthieu Udol’s cross-shot was not cleared by the PSG defence.
Six minutes later the hosts were reduced to ten when defender Kyllian Antonio was shown a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Maghnes Akliouche.
PSG, who had lifted the UEFA Super Cup against Aston Villa just four days earlier, dominated possession but struggled to create clear chances.
Desire Doué struck the crossbar from a tight angle before half-time, while substitutes Nuno Mendes and Ousmane Dembélé both went close after the break. Goalkeeper Robin Risser produced solid saves, including from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Dembélé, to preserve the lead.
Late drama saw Mendes dismissed with three minutes remaining for elbowing Lens wing-back Michal Skoras off the ball, leaving both sides with ten men. Paris could not find an equaliser, and Lens held on to claim the trophy.
Toppmöller, the German appointed in June after Pierre Sage left for Crystal Palace, inherited a side that finished runners-up in Ligue 1 last season and won the French Cup for the first time with a 3-1 final victory over Nice.
Luis Enrique named a strong PSG lineup with only three changes from the Super Cup-winning team, including a second debut for Lucas Digne.
Bradley Barcola was absent from the squad amid links with a possible move to Liverpool. Paris will now turn attention to their Ligue 1 title defence against Rennes in a week’s time, without Mendes, who will serve a suspension.
The Trophée des Champions, contested between the Ligue 1 champions and Coupe de France winners, has a rich history. Paris Saint-Germain remain the most successful club with 14 titles (1995, 1998, 2013–2020, 2022–2025). Olympique Lyonnais follow with eight wins, largely from their dominant early-2000s run.
Other multiple winners include Saint-Étienne and Reims (five each in the earlier Challenge des Champions era), Monaco and Bordeaux (four and three respectively in modern times), plus Marseille, Nantes and others with two or three. Lille claimed the only previous recent interruption to PSG’s dominance in 2021.
Lens now join the winners’ list for the first time, 28 years after losing the 1998 final to the same opponents.
