PSG vs. Lens: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream & TV Info

After qualifying for the semi-finals of the Coupe de France on Wednesday night, Paris Saint-Germain welcome Racing Club de Lens to the Parc des Princes on Saturday as they look to get their title challenge back on track.

On paper it should be a routine home win, but with the Champions League last-16 second leg with Chelsea on the horizon, it’s crucial that PSG deal with the issues at hand and not look beyond Saturday’s match.

Date: Saturday, March 7

Time: 4 p.m. GMT/5 p.m. CET/11 a.m. ET

Venue: Parc des Princes, Paris

TV Info: beIN Sport (U.S.), beIN Sport (France)

Live Stream: beIN Sport Connect (U.S)

Michel Euler/Associated Press

The 2-0 win over Monaco in the cup showed signs of progress for Laurent Blanc, but it has to be put into perspective. It was a very young and makeshift Monaco defence, but it is similar to what they will face on Saturday as the northern club come to Paris.

Lens go into the game with 22 points, putting them in 19th place on goal difference. They have lost three league games in a row and have not won a game in 2015. The last time they picked up three points was in December, with their last away win coming on October 24.

Saturday should be a special occasion for Lens coach Antoine Kombouare. The Frenchman was in charge of PSG when Qatar Sports Investment took over, and although he led PSG to the top of Ligue 1 at the winter break, he was relieved of his duties in favour of Carlo Ancelotti.

PSG would go on to lose the 2011/12 title to Montpellier. How fitting it would be if Kombouare could come away from the French capital with a result, disrupting their title hopes once again.

Victory for PSG would take them above Lyon before the leaders take on Montpellier on Sunday evening.

Michel Euler/Associated Press

Predicted Formations

PSG: 4-3-3: Salvatore Sirigu; Gregory van der Wiel, Marquinhos, David Luiz, Lucas Digne; Blaise Matuidi, Marco Verratti, Adrien Rabiot; Javier Pastore, Edinson Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic

RC Lens: 4-3-3: Rudy Riou; Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Ahmed Kantari, Loick Landre, Ludovic Baal; Jerome Le Moigne, Pierrick Valdivia, Benjamin Bourigeaud; Pablo Chavarria, Adamo Coulibaly, Baptiste Guillaume

Players to Watch

Francois Mori/Associated Press

Paris Saint-Germain

With the game against Chelsea to come next week, Blanc will likely pick his team with one eye on his Champions League XI. Lucas Digne played against Monaco on Wednesday, and with Maxwell likely to start at Stamford Bridge, the France international should get the nod again against Lens.

His battle down the left flank with Jean-Philippe Gbamin could be a very intriguing battle. Two young defenders, both with pace and power, but the Lens defender is more accustomed to playing the defensive role. How Digne copes against the 19-year-old could be crucial.

With more experience and a better cast behind him, Digne will have the chance to dominate that flank, providing ammunition to both Cavani and Ibrahimovic.

RC Lens

In some of Lens' best performances this season, the powerful runs of Adamo Coulibaly have been a prominent feature. The centre-forward, who likes to run wide, has four league goals this season, and if he can find a way to impose himself on either PSG full-back, Lens could gain some ground on the counter.

Jacques Brinon/Associated Press

Key Battle

After serving his two-game suspension in the games against Monaco, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will return to the PSG lineup on Saturday, and it will be crucial for the Swede to get some match sharpness back before the clash against Chelsea.

The 33-year-old will be up against former France under-21 defender Loick Landre, and it could be a vital matchup. Although only 22 years old, Landre has been an integral part of the Lens defence; he has started whenever he has been available and usually impresses despite Lens' poor position in the league.

If Landre can go to the Parc des Princes and manage to contain Ibrahimovic, it could be a huge moment in his young career.

Odds (via Oddschecker)

PSG: 2/9

Draw: 11/2

Lens: 18/1