This Monday at 8:30 PM (CET), Paris Saint-Germain (2nd) will face Olympique Lyonnais (1st) at the Parc des Princes as part of the 8th matchday of the 2026-2027 Ligue 1 season. In a press conference, Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso (32) spoke about the upcoming encounter and their Parisian opponents.
Tolisso: “We are ready to run and convert our chances”
“We played a great match at the Parc des Princes last year; the right mindset was there, and we gave 100%. We are ready to run and convert our chances.
We have various plans, but we know what we need to do. I have great confidence in the coach, and I am convinced that things will go well tomorrow.”
Paris must add substance to their control of the game
For PSG, the challenge will be to translate their possession into dangerous scoring opportunities. An opponent prepared to defend can stick to their game plan as long as they still believe they can capitalize on a chance. Paris will therefore need to shift the Lyon defensive block, create openings, and finish their attacks with the necessary precision.
Vigilance upon losing possession will also be crucial: allowing Lyon to quickly threaten the Parisian goal could boost their confidence. Tolisso has signaled that his team is ready to commit fully; it is up to the Parisians to make those efforts difficult to sustain, while avoiding any preventable defensive lapses.
Tolisso: “We will have to run more, and run intelligently”
“I think that in matches like this, we will have less of the ball, so we will have to run more—and run intelligently—while being prepared to put in the hard work. If we are mentally prepared, we will succeed.” “We cannot hope to play a great match tomorrow if we produce the same level of technical quality we showed on Thursday.”
The quality of play when transitioning from defense to attack could prove decisive.
This was the most concrete warning in his remarks. If PSG can force Lyon to chase the ball—only for Lyon to immediately give it back—it would allow the Parisians to launch successive attacks without ever having to retreat. If the Parisians manage to disrupt Lyon’s initial passes and quickly recover the ball whenever it is lost, they will make every effort by their opponents increasingly costly.
Conversely, clean, effective transitions from the back would force Paris to defend a much larger area of the pitch. The balance of power will therefore also depend on what Lyon manages to do once they win the ball back. Desire will be essential, but as Tolisso knows, it must be matched by precision.
Tolisso: “They are the best team in Europe.”
“We have certainly been impressed by PSG in their recent European matches. They are the best team in Europe, and it’s a great opportunity for us to play against them. We’re lucky to have them in our league.
They have such high-quality players that, even with injuries and the Ballon d’Or [distraction], it won’t change a thing. They will play to win; they’ll be professional and fully focused on the match.”
No complacency expected from Paris.
Tolisso is not banking on a PSG side distracted by the Ballon d’Or, nor one weakened to the point of being more vulnerable. His caution stems from the quality of the players available and the level of commitment he expects from them. For the Parisians, these compliments do nothing to diminish the demanding nature of the encounter.
Lyon will need to ensure players are available to support the ball carrier, maintain precision in their passing, and react collectively whenever possession is lost. The respect shown by the Lyon captain does not signal any resignation; rather, it reflects a clear determination to seize their chances at the Parc des Princes.
