Lens must win to revive their Champions League campaign

RC Lens host Côme this Wednesday, November 4, at 21 h at the Bollaert‑Delelis stadium, after three matchdays where they sit in 27th place with one win and two defeats, and are looking for their second victory in the Champions League to get closer to the Top 24.

An essential victory is indispensable for RC Lens to revive its Champions League campaign. Without this success, the chances of reaching the Top 24 diminish considerably.

European campaign of RC Lens

After three matchdays, the Sang et Or sit in 27th place with three points, a total insufficient to aim for the playoffs. Their campaign began with a 3‑2 win over Slavia Prague, allowing them to take their first three points. Since then, they have suffered two consecutive defeats, at home against Sporting Portugal 0‑2 and away against Club Bruges 3‑0. These setbacks have pushed Racing down the table, with only three goals scored and seven conceded in three matches, revealing offensive difficulties.

At home, RC Lens has an interesting European record, having lost only one of its previous 21 European matches in front of its supporters before the defeat to Sporting. In attack, Florian Thauvin, who has scored four goals and provided seven assists in Ligue 1, is one of the main weapons of the Sang et Or.

Current form of RC Lens in Ligue 1 and absences

In Ligue 1, since Yannick Cahuzac took over the bench replacing Dino Toppmöller, the Lens players have recorded three consecutive wins against Olympique Lyonnais (2‑1), Troyes (3‑1) and Paris FC (2‑1), bringing them closer to the European places. Coach Yannick Cahuzac will nevertheless have to deal with several important absences: Sima, Ganiou and Odsonne Édouard are unavailable, while Nawrocki and Chavez are not on the list of players qualified for the competition.

Côme, a fit Italian challenger

In its first appearance in the Champions League, Côme sits after three matchdays in ninth place with six points, one spot away from the Top 8 that guarantees direct qualification to the round of 16. Under the direction of Cesc Fàbregas, the Italians dominated RB Leipzig 4‑1 at home in their first match. In the second matchday, they suffered their first setback against Feyenoord Rotterdam 3‑2, but displayed strong offensive qualities by scoring two goals away. They then bounced back by beating Manchester United 4‑1, a prestigious win that propelled them up the table and confirmed their ability to compete with high‑level teams.

A victory over Côme would allow RC Lens to get back into the race for the Top 24 and revive a European campaign that has gone off track during the last two matchdays. This match therefore represents a decisive turning point for the Artois club.