Late Bradley Barcola strike sends PSG top of Ligue 1

Bradley Barcola spared Paris Saint-Germain's blushes as he fired the champions to the top of Ligue 1 in a hard-fought 1-0 victory at lowly Auxerre.

The France international struck 11 minutes from time at Stade de l'Abbe-Deschamps to edge Luis Enrique's side above leaders Lens, who face third-placed Marseille on Saturday.

Victory was the only option against a side languishing just one place off the foot of the table, but PSG were made to work much harder than they would have liked ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash with Newcastle in Paris in which they will attempt to qualify directly for the last 16.

Auxerre, who have won only three games all season, proved stubborn opponents and although they rarely looked like claiming a first victory over the Parisians since March 2011, they threatened to emerge with at least something to show for their efforts until Barcola's late intervention.

Luis Enrique made changes for his side's sixth game in 20 days as Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Fabián Ruiz, Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé stood down from the side which lost 2-1 to Sporting Lisbon in Europe on Tuesday, and he will have been less than impressed with what he saw before the break.

Barcola forced goalkeeper Donovan Léon to make a double save inside the opening two minutes and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had an eighth-minute attempt blocked as the visitors started strongly.

Kévin Danois fired over at the other end with the hosts responding, but Leon was in action once again to claim Gonçalo Ramos' header from a Kvaratskhelia cross on the half-hour mark.

The Auxerre keeper had to deny both the Georgia international and Ibrahim Mbaye as the first half drew to a close, and he and his team-mates ultimately returned to the dressing room with their clean sheet intact.

Kvaratskhelia and Warren Zaïre-Emery both saw shots blocked before Barcola went close as the champions stepped it up on their return, but Danny Namaso kept PSG keeper Lucas Chevalier interested with a 53rd-minute attempt which was only just too high.

Lassine Sinayoko also took aim at goal as the hosts grew in confidence, and Luis Enrique made changes in the 61st minute when he sent on Doue and Dembele for Mbaye and Ramos in the search for fresh inspiration.

Dembele forced Leon into a 73rd-minutre save from a tight angle and the keeper claimed Senny Mayulu's long-range effort two minutes later.

However, he was finally beaten when PSG broke at pace and Dembele fed Barcola to clinch victory.