PSG launch Ligue 1 title defence with one eye on Champions League three-peat

[p]The capital giants eased to a record-extending 14th French top-flight triumph last season, despite often prioritising their European ambitions.[/p][p]They start their Ligue 1 campaign [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/psg-CjhkPw0k/rennes-d2nnj1IE/?mid=p2AX2W4D"]against Rennes on Sunday[/a], hoping to make a quick start before the Champions League begins on September 8th.[/p][p][b]"When the season starts, everyone says the league is easy,"[/b] said head coach Luis Enrique.[/p][p][b]"Nothing is easy - I don't recall any easy French league campaigns, at least not in the last three years."[/b][/p][p]Their six-point winning margin over second-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lens/IBmris38/"]Lens[/a] last term was the second closest they have come to slipping up domestically since being beaten to the title by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lille/pfDZL71o/"]Lille[/a] in 2021.[/p][p]Two seasons ago, they finished a whopping 19 points clear of closest challengers [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/marseille/SblU3Hee/"]Marseille[/a].[/p][p][b]Across the past five campaigns, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a] have enjoyed an average title-winning margin of 10 points.[/b][/p][image alt="PSG's opening matches in Ligue 1" id="44f09143-27cd-410e-8a67-fb7843831516" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="4f97381a-90c1-48ac-8a8d-623e707047e3" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]After finally ending their long wait to translate that success to Europe in 2024/25, they backed it up with a second successive Champions League final victory, over Arsenal on penalties in May.[/p][p]Only three clubs have won three consecutive European Cups - Real Madrid, Ajax and Bayern Munich.[/p][p][b]"Everyone thinks we can win, but that's just theory. Now we have to prove on the pitch that we're up to the task,"[/b] Luis Enrique said when asked about PSG's Champions League chances this season.[/p][p][b]"Historically, it's hard to find a team that wins all the time, but we're trying to be right there alongside those kinds of teams."[/b][/p][p]Qatar-backed PSG have once again strengthened in the transfer market and held on to all of their most important players.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/torres-ferran/AVAVLaLt/"]Ferran Torres[/a] has joined from Barcelona after scoring Spain's winning goal in the World Cup final, while France left-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/digne-lucas/v9Ux4sua/"]Lucas Digne[/a] has returned as back-up for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendes-nuno/ne2xCTJj/"]Nuno Mendes[/a].[/p][p][b]"Like last year, we're still hungry for victories, trophies,"[/b] said PSG midfielder Vitinha.[/p][p][b]"It's very difficult to maintain those levels, but we're still hungry, and we'll be aiming to win."[/b][/p][embed guid="5b124c75-9759-47ec-a082-b8c3616a75ae" url="https://x.com/Ligue1_ENG/status/2089683787097460877" social-type="twitter" /][p]PSG comfortably rotated their side in Ligue 1 last term to boost their Champions League hopes and will be expecting to be able to do so again this time around.[/p][p]Ballon d'Or holder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a] only started 11 of their 34 Ligue 1 games last season.[/p][h2]Managerial merry-go-round in France[/h2][p]Lens impressed by finishing second to PSG last season and led the table for long periods before falling away.[/p][p]They could not hold on to coach Pierre Sage, who left for mid-table Premier League club Crystal Palace.[/p][p]However, they passed their first test under new boss Dino Toppmoeller with flying colours by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/lens-IBmris38/psg-CjhkPw0k/?mid=S23DJYFi"]defeating PSG with 10 men in the French Super Cup[/a] last weekend and will be expecting to compete for second place again.[/p][p][b]"I have a great rapport with the coach. He called me very soon after his appointment, while I was still on vacation,"[/b] said Lens playmaker Florian Thauvin.[/p][p][b]"We share the same vision of football. We get along really well and see things the same way."[/b][/p][embed guid="4d53d4d8-7536-4516-9f50-fd840d322a5f" url="https://x.com/Ligue1_ENG/status/2089269824153129101" social-type="twitter" /][p]It has been a summer of managerial overhaul in Ligue 1.[/p][p]Luis Enrique is one of only four coaches, alongside [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lyon/2akflumR/"]Lyon[/a] boss Paulo Fonseca, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rennes/d2nnj1IE/"]Rennes[/a]' Franck Haise and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/le-havre/CIEe04GT/"]Le Havre[/a]'s Didier Digard, to have kept their jobs across the 16 clubs who also started last season.[/p][p]Marseille have replaced the sacked Habib Beye with Bruno Genesio after they missed out on Champions League qualification, while Carlo Ancelotti's son Davide Ancelotti has taken Genesio's place at Lille.[/p][p]Former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid left-back Filipe Luis has joined [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/monaco/2PIvr8o4/"]Monaco[/a] and Liam Rosenior is aiming to bounce back from his miserable stint at Chelsea with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/paris-fc/0OEHEprs/"]Paris FC[/a].[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/france/ligue-1/"]Follow the new Ligue 1 season with Flashscore here![/a][/b][/p][infobox id="fdf30c7d-dae1-4aa9-a0fc-da9a5ca820f7" /]