Lens vs Paris St Germain preview - Kombouare relishing PSG reunion

Posted Thursday, October 16, 2014 by PA

Antoine Kombouare is looking forward to a reunion with former club Paris St Germain on Friday night.

The 50-year-old served PSG as a player, coach and manager for well over a decade before being sacked in 2011.

The demands of the club's new billionaire owners brought an end to his tenure, and after a spell in the Middle East, he is now back in Ligue 1 with Lens.

They are struggling so far, sitting inside the bottom three, and Kombouare acknowledges a clash with his former employers is hardly coming at an opportune time.

"It's a league match like any other," he told his club's official website. "There will be three points at stake.

"At the same time, it will be a special game, especially on my side because Paris St Germain is a club that matters to me. I spent a little over 13 years there, but I will ignore all that.

"We will try to snatch at least a point because we expect a tough game. "

PSG's form has been patchy this season despite them remaining unbeaten. They have specialised in draws and are seven points off the pace being set by Marseille.

As such, questions have been asked of coach Laurent Blanc, despite winning the title last season.

It is a pressure that Kombouare knows well after his time in the hotseat.

"PSG are a club that is always important to me. I am very grateful to PSG and I felt no bitterness towards the club, even after I left and I do not deny that I'd love to stay there," he added.

"Later I was relieved to leave because of the media pressure surrounding the club.

"But I remember that the coaching experience made me grow. As a player I won several titles with PSG and I will always be a fan - I love the club.

"I also have my friend Laurent Blanc leading the team and I would like to see PSG go as far as possible and win the Champions League."

Blanc admitted he was looking forward to catching up with Kombouare, but admitted his first priority had to be improving his side's recent performances.

"We need to be more focused and show a desire to score," he said. "We need to find some calmness."

However, injury concerns will not help Blanc's cause, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic still missing while David Luiz has returned from international duty with an injury, joining Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marquinhos on the sidelines.

Thiago Silva has returned to training and could feature.