This Sunday at 8:45 PM (CET), Paris Saint-Germain faces Lens at the Stade Bollaert in the 2026 Trophée des Champions. In a press conference, Lens coach Dino Toppmöller spoke about the match and their Parisian opponents.
Toppmöller: “Champions are always ready”
A trophy up for grabs?
“Everyone is competitive; we were eager for the competition to start after the pre-season. We know PSG are the favorites. They’ve dominated not just France, but all of Europe for two years. I think everyone saw Wednesday’s match. After that game, any doubts about whether they might not be ready vanished. They are champions, and champions are always ready. But I told my team that we would be ready too. It’s up to us to show that on Sunday.”
Dino Toppmöller isn’t trying to downplay Paris Saint-Germain’s evident superiority. PSG’s victory on Wednesday even dispelled his last remaining doubts regarding the form of the two-time European champions. Yet, beneath this praise lies a warning: his team intends to turn this final into a real battle and seize the opportunity to secure a trophy right away.
Toppmöller: “Everyone wants to write the club’s history”
Are the players ready to kick off the season?
“I feel the squad is ready for the match. Everyone wants to write the club’s history. It would be Lens’s first Trophée des Champions title, so we could mark a major milestone in the club’s history. We’re playing at home, in front of our fans. We’re up against a great team, and we need to show that we aren’t afraid of anyone. We can’t give PSG too much space, and we have to handle their pressing spells well.” “I’ve watched several of their matches, and they won their recent games against Lens; that’s a source of motivation, too.”
There is more at stake here than just the start of the season. The chance to win a first Trophée des Champions fuels a historic ambition, bolstered by the backing of the fans. Toppmöller also outlines the keys to the challenge: closing down spaces, withstanding the Parisian press, and avoiding the psychological burden of past encounters. To pull off the upset, his team will need to combine boldness with composure.
Toppmöller: “I’m only thinking about Sunday’s match”
Preparation for the Champions League? “I’m not thinking about the Champions League; I’m only thinking about Sunday’s match. Everyone knows it’s special, and everyone working in football dreams of being in the Champions League. We want to be there when it starts, but for now, it hasn’t started yet.”
There is no question of viewing this fixture as a dress rehearsal for the Champions League. Toppmöller prioritizes the immediate result over any European aspirations. This stance highlights the importance placed on the trophy: his team isn’t just coming to gauge its level against PSG, but to try and make club history in its very first major showdown.
