Two days before the start of the new Ligue 1 season, Lens head coach Dino Toppmöller was interviewed about the team's goals for the new season, squad situation, and title contention. He stated that Lens hopes to fight for victory in every match but acknowledged that Paris Saint-Germain, with their strong resources and continuous recruitment, remains the biggest favorite in the league.

What is the current squad situation?

"Abdelhamid suffered a knock in training a few weeks ago. He played against Paris Saint-Germain, but there's still a small issue, and we hope he'll be ready for this match."

"Aguilar didn't participate in training because his wife just gave birth. He welcomed his third child, which is good news. He can play."

"T Hazard will also be in the squad list. He was previously suspended for the match against Paris Saint-Germain due to a suspension during his time at Anderlecht, but now he can return."

"His pre-season preparation was very good; he maintained his training status and performed well in friendly matches, and now he will return to the squad."

Given Kilian Antoniou's suspension, are you considering an early return for Jonathan Gradit, who is recovering from injury?

"The most important thing is that he must feel ready to help the team. Having enough training is very important for regaining confidence, and even playing reserve team matches would help."

"He is an experienced player and knows he must be 100% fit to return. If he's not ready, an early return makes no sense. He won't be back this weekend."

What are your options at center-back to compensate for Kilian Antoniou's absence? Is Aguilar one of them?

"Ruben had a very good pre-season and performed excellently against Paris Saint-Germain. Unfortunately, Jo (Jonathan Gradit) is not yet ready to replace Kilian because we don't have many options at center-back."

"Ruben has returned to a position he used to play and has performed very well. We can also move Udol to the center. Additionally, young player Souleymane Sagnan can also play this position."

Is Celik (suffered a meniscus injury before the World Cup) not yet ready?

"His injury was not as severe as Jo's (Gradit), but he was also out for eight weeks. He has now resumed training and is progressing well. However, at the moment, he is not a candidate for the match squad."

You've been at Lens for two months. Does the team's current situation meet your expectations?

"We are exactly where I expected us to be. I am very satisfied with the players, the staff, the atmosphere within the team, and all the performance data."

"We won the French Super Cup, but that's in the past. Now, we want to focus entirely on the future. This is the start of the new Ligue 1 season, and I'm really looking forward to the matches."

As the new season begins, do you think the championship is exclusive to Paris Saint-Germain, or will other teams compete?

"If you want to achieve something in the league, you have to beat Paris Saint-Germain, that's obvious. With the resources they have and the recent signings they've made, they are the biggest favorites to win the title."

"We want to fight for victory in every match, and at the end of the season, we will see which team can maintain the most consistent performance throughout the season. But it's clear that Paris Saint-Germain are the biggest favorites to win the title."

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