Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Lille: Parisians fight back without Mbappe to defeat visitors and go eleven points clear at the top of Ligue 1

With a 3-1 come-from-behind home victory over Lille on Saturday, Luis Enrique's Paris St Germain moved 11 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table.

PSG, who were without striker Kylian Mbappe before hosting Real Sociedad in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, have 50 points from 21 games and have extended their unbeaten streak to 16 matches.

It was only the third time Mbappe, who was forced off injured against Brest in the Coupe de France midweek, sat out an entire Ligue 1 game for PSG, and the first since April 2018.

"Mbappe is physically very good. It is clear that we did not want to take risks, there was no need, we are not playing in a final, it made no sense. He will be available for Wednesday match," said Luis Enrique in a news conference.

"This is a collective effort, obviously there are players like Kylian with the individual ability to change the course of a game on his own, but I have highlighted the level of the squad - that's what makes me proud as a coach."

"Playing in the Champions League is not like playing for our lives. We will face the competition with calm, without pressure... We are ready and we have proved it," he added.

Yusuf Yazici stunned the Parc des Princes after six minutes, collecting a loose ball inside the six-yard box and sending it past returning PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

Navas, 37, was loaned out to Premier League side Nottingham Forest for the second half of the 2022-23 season and missed the start of the current season due to back problems.

Four minutes later, a Lille defensive error allowed PSG to equalise, with Ousmane Dembele passing the ball to Goncalo Ramos, who scored with a low, first-time shot from 10 metres.

In the 17th minute, Lille defender Alexsandro put the ball in his own net while attempting to clear Fabian Ruiz's low strike from outside the box, giving the home side the lead.

Midfielder Marco Asensio and defender Nordi Mukiele had chances for the Parisians in the second half, but Randal Kolo Muani sealed the win with an 80th-minute tap-in.

Lille, who lost to Olympique Lyonnais in the French Cup last 16 on Wednesday, remained fourth on 35 points.

They host Le Havre on February 17, while PSG travel to 14th-placed Nantes later that day.

On Sunday, second-placed Nice will host fifth-placed AS Monaco.

SportsLigue