Lens vs PSG: Red Card Report Frustrates Paris Saint-Germain
Turned into more than a trophy loss for Paris Saint-Germain, with Nuno Mendes' late red card and the referee’s wording now raising questions for the French…
LENS — The fallout from lens vs psg is still growing after Paris Saint-Germain’s 1-0 defeat in the Trophée des Champions at Stade Bollaert-Delelis, where Nuno Mendes was sent off late and the referee’s report has become the new flashpoint.
PSG lost the silverware and finished the match with 10 men. The club are now facing questions over how the incident was described in the official paperwork, with the wording potentially influencing what happens next for the Portuguese left-back.
PSG question the report, not the red card
According to Goal, PSG are surprised by referee Jeremie Pignard’s official match report after Mendes’ dismissal. French outlet RMC Sport reported that Pignard described the incident as a “violent strike off the ball,” language PSG believe is too severe for what happened on the pitch.
The club are not trying to overturn the sending-off itself. They accept that Mendes deserved a red card for the late challenge. Their frustration is with the formulation of the report, which they feel does not match the reality of the incident.
That distinction matters. A red card is one thing. The written report can shape what comes next. If the disciplinary review treats the episode as a more serious off-the-ball act, Mendes could face harsher consequences than PSG believe fit the sequence of play.
How Lens won the trophy
Lens took the match 1-0 thanks to Florian Thauvin’s goal in the 32nd minute. It came against the run of play and gave Lens control of the final at a point when PSG were still trying to settle.
The match tightened before halftime. Lens defender Kyllian Antonio was shown a straight red card after a late challenge on Maghnes Akliouche six minutes before the break, leaving both sides down to 10 men at different stages.
PSG then had a late equalizer from Fabián Ruiz ruled out for offside before Mendes was dismissed with four minutes left for lashing out at Michal Skoras. The ending fit the mood of the night. Frustrating, messy, costly.
For Lens, the win carried extra weight. The club had won the Coupe de France for the first time last season, and this added another major piece of silverware. PSG, meanwhile, had already lifted the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday night after beating Aston Villa in Salzburg, and they had been chasing a 15th French Super Cup on Sunday.
The stakes were also high because this was the first time since 2023 that the French Super Cup was held on French soil. Lens hosted the match at Stade Bollaert-Delelis, while PSG entered with the expectation that their strongest side could carry them through another final.
ESPN reported that Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye were absent from PSG’s squad, with links to Liverpool surrounding both players. In Lens, free signing Thorgan Hazard was in the running to start after coming off the bench against Sunderland in a recent friendly.
Now PSG must wait for what follows the report. The club already know the red card stands. What they do not know yet is how far the disciplinary fallout will go.
