Dembélé destroys Lille and lifts PSG back on top of Ligue 1

PARIS (AP) — Ousmane Dembélé put transfer talk behind him and scored a crucial brace for Paris Saint-Germain in a 3-0 win over Lille that returned it to the top of Ligue 1 on Friday.

French media last week reported that the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner rejected a new contract offer.

His coach Luis Enrique called the speculation fake news and Dembélé’s focus was razor sharp in a game between two of the league’s top four.

His 12th-minute strike from more than 20 meters out gave the Lille goalkeeper no chance and his second 18 minutes into the second half was a reminder of why he picked up that Ballon d’Or.

With four defenders in front of him, Dembélé somehow found space to chip the most audacious of shots that bamboozled keeper Berke Ozer and dropped in just under the crossbar.

Substitute Bradley Barcola, another whose future has been subject to speculation, rounded off the scoring in injury time when he pounced on slack defending and slammed home the third.

The win settled nerves at the defending champion just days after city rival Paris FC knocked it out of the French Cup.

Friday’s win lifted PSG back atop the league table, two points clear of Lens which has a game in hand on Saturday against second-to-last Auxerre.

Lille remained fourth, 10 points back.

Monaco fell to its seventh defeat in eight games after another poor performance, this time at home to Lorient 3-1.

Lorient’s Bamba Dieng had a goal disallowed in the first half but he got one that counted midway through the second period. The Senegalese forward seized on a mistake by the Monaco defense.

Ansu Fati equalized eight minutes later but goals from Jean-Victor Makengo in the 85th minute and Dermane Karim three minutes from time gave visiting Lorient all three points and extended its unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions.

Lorient was one point behind ninth-placed Monaco.

It was another unhappy start to the weekend for Monaco, whose record in Friday night games fell to won two, drawn five, lost nine.

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PSG's head coach Luis Enrique reacts during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille in Paris, France, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's Bradley Barcola celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille in Paris, France, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Lille's Tiago Santos, left, challenges for the ball with PSG's Willian Pacho during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille in Paris, France, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille in Paris, France, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's Ousmane Dembele, right, challenges for the ball with Lille's Hakon Arnar Haraldsson during the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille in Paris, France, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PARIS (AP) — Champions League finalist Paris Saint-Germain will be missing several players through injury for Sunday's Ligue 1 game at home against Brest.

Central defender Willian Pacho and left back Nuno Mendes have minor right thigh injuries while midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery has been ruled out with lower back pain, the club said in its pre-match medical bulletin Saturday.

PSG was already without star right back Achraf Hakimi and backup goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier due to thigh injuries.

Coach Luis Enrique said several young players would be in the squad and urged fans and media not to criticize them if they make mistakes. Last Saturday, PSG academy striker Pierre Mounguengue came on as a second-half substitute then gave the ball away for the equalizing goal in a 1-1 draw with Lorient.

PSG eliminated Bayern Munich in the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday and will defend its European crown against Premier League leader Arsenal on May 30 in Budapest.

Luis Enrique said the double-header against Bayern, which saw a 5-4 for win for PSG in the first leg in Paris, had a physical impact.

“None of the players are seriously injured but it's true that the intensity of the two matches left its mark,” he said. “I've seen the match again and I'm very proud of what we did.”

He praised 20-year-old forward Désiré Doué, who scored twice in last season's 5-0 rout of Inter Milan in the Champions League final and is set for his 100th PSG appearance. Doué was outstanding against Bayern and tormented the defense with his pace, movement and skill over both legs.

“He's a very important player, very young but with a lot of technical and physical attributes," Luis Enrique said. "He's in the process of constantly improving.”

PSG has not yet sealed the Ligue 1 title but the defending champion can do so against second-place Lens on Wednesday in a rescheduled match from April.

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Bayern's Dayot Upamecano, foreground, stops PSG's Nuno Mendes during the Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint Germain in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Bayern's Aleksandar Pavlovic, right, challenges PSG's Warren Zaire-Emery during the Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint Germain in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

PSG's Willian Pacho, foreground, stops Bayern's Jamal Musiala during the Champions League semifinal second leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint Germain in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)