Verratti set for 400th Paris Saint-Germain appearance

Marco Verratti was in line to make his 400th appearance for Paris Saint-Germain after being named in the starting XI to face Lens.

Italy playmaker Verratti signed fresh terms with PSG in December, tying him to the Ligue 1 champions until 2026.

Christophe Galtier selected the 30-year-old to take on Lens on Sunday, marking Verratti’s 400th game for PSG.

Jean-Marc Pilorget, who played 436 times for PSG between 1975 and 1989, is the only other player to hit the 400 landmark for the club.

Kylian Mbappe, who scored a last-gasp winner against Strasbourg in PSG’s first league match back after the World Cup, featured up front, with Neymar suspended due to the red card he received last time out.

Lionel Messi was already ruled out, with the 35-year-old having only been due to return from Argentina this weekend following his World Cup celebrations.