Lens needs a favor from former striker Elye Wahi against PSG in Ligue 1 title race

PARIS (AP) — Lens is wishing for a big performance from club-record signing Elye Wahi against Ligue 1 title rival Paris Saint-Germain.

The problem is he plays for another team.

Still, Lens fans hope Wahi can help struggling Nice beat PSG on Saturday and do Lens a favor in the title race. Leader PSG is one point ahead of Lens with played one game less.

The signs are 23-year-old Wahi is finding the form that once made him among Europe's most promising young strikers and led to transfer fees totalling nearly 90 million euros ($104 million).

Last weekend, he scored with a brilliant turn and lob from 40 meters for 15th-placed Nice against Angers, showing he's got his instinct and confidence back.

Three years ago, Wahi joined Lens from Montpellier for 35 million euros after scoring 19 league goals and turning down a move to Premier League side Chelsea. Although he was the player of the match against Arsenal in the Champions League, his form faded.

Lens sold him to Marseille for 25 million euros the following season. He didn't fit in at Marseille and — just 13 league games later — Wahi joined Eintracht Frankfurt on a five-and-a-half-year contract. The German club paid 26 million euros for Wahi, getting one goal in 25 games in return.

Eintracht loaned him to Nice in January and so far he has four goals and an assist in seven games.

Lens needs a morale-boosting home win against Angers on Friday. Having a smaller squad than PSG caused key players to look jaded in last weekend's 2-1 loss at Lorient.

According to Opta statistics, Lens crossed the ball 58 times in the match — a record in European soccer this season — and did not score from one of them.

Marseille is not playing well but still holds the cards in its bid to qualify automatically for next season's Champions League. Marseille is third under recently appointed coach Habib Beye heading into Sunday's home game with fifth-placed Lille.

But Marseille’s fans are still raging about another trophyless season and the club's ultras did not encourage the players during the first half of last week's 1-0 win against Auxerre.

Monaco's resurgence, meanwhile, is bad news for Lyon ahead of their clash in Lyon on Sunday. While sixth-placed Monaco seeks a sixth straight league win, fourth-placed Lyon is winless in four games in Ligue 1 and six straight overall.

A Monaco victory would move it one point behind Lyon in the race for Champions League spots, so Lyon hopes 19-year-old Brazil forward Endrick can recapture his form after a lean spell.

Nathan Mbala, Metz. The 18-year-old striker is the latest player to come through Metz's respected youth academy and has scored twice so far for rock-bottom Metz, which is at Rennes on Sunday.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG. The star winger is peaking at the right time. After being surprisingly dropped by coach Luis Enrique, he responded with three goals in two games against Chelsea in the Champions League.

Just after signing his first professional contract, 18-year-old Lyon forward Rémi Himbert sprained an ankle in the Europa League and faces six weeks out. He joins Lyon's long injury list.

PSG forward Bradley Barcola is out for several weeks after spraining his right ankle midweek against Chelsea.

The match between Marseille and Lille, initially scheduled for Sunday evening, will instead kick off in the afternoon due to security concerns linked to the municipal elections in France. The far-right candidate is tied with the incumbent socialist mayor ahead of Sunday's second round and authorities fear that the result, expected in the evening, could spark tensions in the southern port city. Lille president Olivier Létang, however, remains concerned about security and would have preferred the match to be postponed to a later date.

AP Sports Writer Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - Rennes' head coach Habib Beye smiles during the French League One soccer match between Rennes and Nice, Oct. 26, 2025 in Rennes, western France. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez, File)

Paris Saint-Germain players celebrate after PSG's Bradley Barcola scored his side's second goal during the Champions League soccer match between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain in London, England, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Chelsea's goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, right, makes a save from PSG's Bradley Barcola during the Champions League soccer match between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain in London, England, Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

FILE - Lens' Elye Wahi celebrates after scoring his side' second goal during the French League One soccer match between Lyon and Lens at the Groupama stadium, outside Lyon, France, Sunday, March 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani, File)

RIPON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 19, 2026--

Cooper & Thief Cellarmasters today announces a new collaboration with Kentucky-based Larceny Bourbon. The Cooper & Thief x Larceny Napa Valley Red Blend is a limited release wine finished in Larceny’s signature wheated bourbon barrels. This unique finishing process creates complex whiskey-driven aromas and imparts notes of warm caramel, butterscotch, and toasty oak. Known for doing things differently with its portfolio of spirits barrel-aged wines, Cooper & Thief is the number one luxury bourbon barrel-aged wine brand in the U.S. 1 and joining forces with Larceny Bourbon adds a deeper connection and character to this small-batch exclusive wine. Larceny Bourbon is a wheated Bourbon that goes against the grain with a mashbill that uses wheat instead of rye as the secondary grain, resulting in a softer, rounder profile.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260319763768/en/

“Cooper & Thief believes in challenging tradition, especially in the luxury wine category that is steeped in convention. This collaboration between our cellarmasters and the Larceny Bourbon’s Master Distillers is created for the traditional bourbon drinker who loves exploring unique and thoughtful expressions. This release is special because it pairs Larceny’s excellence in Kentucky Bourbon with Cooper & Thief’s expertise in creating bold, smooth bourbon-barrel finished wines. It truly is a Wine for the Whiskey Lover,” said Michelle Diemer, Senior Director of Marketing for Cooper & Thief.

“Larceny Bourbon is crafted with a wheated mashbill that creates a softer, rounder whiskey with notes of caramel, honey, and toasted oak. When those barrels are used to finish a wine like this Napa Valley Red Blend, they bring more than just character – they layer in a rich sweetness, enhance the wine’s texture, and add depth through warm baking spice and subtle vanilla notes,” said Conor O’Driscoll, Master Distiller for Larceny Bourbon. “The interaction between the wine and our barrels creates a long, smooth finish that bridges the worlds of bourbon and wine in a compelling way. It’s a bold, flavorful expression that stays true to Larceny’s spirit of doing things a little differently.”

To further elevate this small batch release, the Cooper & Thief Cellarmasters carefully selected bold varietals from Napa Valley vineyards. Napa Valley produces riper, more concentrated fruit, yielding a rich, dark, plush wine. The cooler 2023 vintage helped balance richness with freshness, resulting in a Red Blend that feels both indulgent and refined. Primarily Malbec-led with Zinfandel and a touch of Petite Sirah, this isn’t a typical red blend. Plus, adding the Larceny award-winning Bourbon barrels for finishing brings another layer to the wine with signature bourbon aromas and flavors for a lush and powerful wine.

The Cooper & Thief x Larceny Napa Valley Red Blend is rolling out at select retailers nationwide this March with a Suggested Retail Price of $34.99. The wine has already received a 93-point score from The Tasting Panel Magazine. In addition to this exclusive launch, the Cooper & Thief portfolio of Bourbon-barrel aged wines includes a California Red Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. The classic Cooper & Thief Red Blend is a California blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with Malbec and Merlot, distinct from this new Napa Valley exclusive release. To learn more about Cooper & Thief and the Cooper & Thief x Larceny Bourbon Napa Valley Red Blend, please visit https://www.cooperandthief.com/.

1 IRI Total US Multi Outlet + Conv, latest 52 wks ending 4.27.25

About Cooper & Thief

Launched in 2014, Cooper & Thief is the top luxury spirits barrel-aged wine brand in the United States. While other wines do the same things for centuries, Cooper & Thief celebrates doing things differently. Their portfolio of spirits barrel-aged wines challenges tradition and infuses bold character and unexpected depth into every bottle. The Cooper & Thief cellarmaster believes that you shouldn’t have to choose between wine and spirits. With Cooper & Thief, both wine and whiskey lovers can enjoy the best of both worlds in one glass. For more information about Cooper & Thief, visit www.cooperandthief.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook @cooperandthief.

About Larceny Bourbon

The story of Larceny begins with John E. Fitzgerald, a bonded U.S. Treasury agent with a penchant for thievery of the best Bourbon. Using his keys to let himself into the rickhouses at night, the Fitzgerald barrels, as they came to be known, became one of America’s most beloved whiskeys after Prohibition with the launch of Old Fitzgerald. Today, the John E. Fitzgerald story continues through Larceny, an incredibly smooth and exceptional small batch Wheated Bourbon. First brought to market in 2012, Larceny is one of the most successful new-to-the-world Bourbons in the past decade. Produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, the brand offers Larceny Small Batch and Larceny Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Since its inception, Larceny has been an award-winning, best in class Bourbon receiving accolades such as Best Wheated Bourbon and Double Gold at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year. For more information, please visit www.larcenybourbon.com.

Cooper & Thief Cellarmasters collaborated with Larceny Bourbon to create a Limited Release Napa Valley Red Blend.