Luis Enrique understands Lens´ frustration with fixture postponement

Luis Enrique understands Lens’ frustration after Paris Saint-Germain successfully applied to have their Ligue 1 clash postponed.

PSG were set to go up against surprise title contenders Lens on April 11.

However, PSG asked for the game to be postponed due to their Champions League quarter-final tie with Liverpool.

The first leg takes place at the Parc des Princes on April 8, with the reverse fixture at Anfield set for six days later.

Lens publicly opposed the decision to postpone the game, but their appeals fell on deaf ears, and Luis Enrique understands their anger.

“I can understand that there are different points of view, I understand the different things and what Lens think, that’s normal,” he said ahead of PSG’s clash with Toulouse on Friday.

“But we have to accept what has been decided.”

PSG are a point ahead of Lens, having played one game fewer.

Lens face their local rivals Lille on Saturday, meaning PSG could apply further pressure to their title rivals by beating Toulouse on Friday.

Luis Enrique is hopeful Fabian Ruiz could be fit to feature against Toulouse, though forward Bradley Barcola will not be put under pressure for a swift return from injury.

Asked if Barcola could play a part in either of the two legs against Liverpool, Luis Enrique said: “Will he be available against Liverpool? I don’t know, I can’t give you that information.

“When I speak with him, I ask him how he’s feeling. But there’s no rush. The most important thing is that he recovers well. When will he be ready? I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see how he progresses.”

Back at the Parc des Princes!

Toulouse
Friday, April 3
8:45 PM#PSGTFC I @visitrwanda_now pic.twitter.com/rrsLuECmFp

— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) April 2, 2026

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Paris Saint-Germain – Achraf Hakimi

Hakimi could play his 200th match in all competitions for PSG.

Since his arrival in 2021, Hakimi is the third-highest goalscorer among defenders in Europe’s top five leagues (28 – 32 for Jeremie Frimpong, 30 for Alejandro Grimaldo).

Toulouse – Yann Gboho

Toulouse will be without Santiago Hidalgo, who is suspended. Toulouse average 1.7 goals scored and 1.7 points per game when the Argentinian forward has started in Ligue 1 this season (10 starts), compared to just 1.2 goals and 1.2 points on average in the 17 games he has not started.

That means there will be even more onus on leading scorer Gboho, who has eight goals to his name in the top tier this term.

MATCH PREDICTION: PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN WIN

PSG have kept 12 clean sheets against Toulouse in Ligue 1 during the QSI era (since 2011-12), only doing better against Marseille (13).

The Ligue 1 champions could record their 700th clean sheet in Ligue 1, becoming the eighth team to reach this tally in the history of the competition.

PSG also have the highest ratio of clean sheets in the French top flight (35.6% — 699/1963).

Having won their last two Ligue 1 matches (4-3 v Metz, 1-0 v Lorient), Toulouse could record three consecutive top-flight wins in a single season for the first time since October and November 2024 (3).

Toulouse have picked up four points away from home against teams currently in the top four of Ligue 1 this season (W1 v Lyon, D1 v Marseille), the second-highest total behind Monaco (nine – W3 L1).

PSG have scored in each of their last 45 home games in Ligue 1, since their first under Luis Enrique (0-0 v Lorient), becoming the seventh different team to record such a run in the French top flight and the second in the 21st century, after Monaco in 2015-2018 (53).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

PSG – 69.4%

Draw – 17.7%

Toulouse – 12.9%