Ligue 1 returns this weekend with Lens playing host to Troyes at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Venue: Stade Bollaert-Delelis (Lens)
Key Statistics
Lens are unbeaten in 14 league games (W9, D5).
They have won their last three home league games.
Lens have not conceded a goal across the last six home head-to-heads with Troyes (W5, D1).
Troyes have scored 3+ goals in two of their last three league games.
They have kept just one clean sheet in their last 12 away games.
Head to head
Lens have won three of the last three head-to-head games against Troyes.
Latest performances in all competitions
Lens: D-W-W-W-D
Troyes: D-W-W-L-L
Lens
Lens will look to continue their impressive start to the new season when they welcome Troyes to Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
The hosts were expected by many to falter this season after punching beyond their weight when they secured a top seven finish last season. Rather, they have kicked on from where they stopped last season this campaign and come into this tie as one of just four Ligue 1 sides undefeated after six rounds of matches (W4, D2).
Their most recent result was a 1-1 draw at Reims last week and extended their unbeaten top-flight run to 14 matches (W9, D5). And so they will welcome Troyes to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis looking to continue their quest to break the club’s record of 19 games undefeated, which they set back in 2005/06.
Given their impressive start, the Sang et Or are dreaming of finishing in the top five this season and qualifying for their first European campaign since 2007. With three straight home wins from their home games this season, they will fancy their chances of recording four straight home wins- a victory that would put them on top of the table, at least until mid-Saturday.
Possible Lens starting line-up
Brice Samba; Jonathan Gradit, Kevin Danso, Facundo Medina; P. Frankowksi, Salis Abdul Samad, Lukasz Poreba, Massadio Haidara; Florian Sotoca, David Costa, Lois Openda.
Injured: Seko Fofana, Gael Kakuta, Wesley Said, Adam Buksa, Wuilker Faríñez
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Deiver Machado
Troyes
Troyes will look to continue their league resurgence this Friday when they make the 158-mile journey across the north of France to Lens.
The visitors began their league campaign this year with three straight losses to Montpellier (3-2), Toulouse (2-0) and Lyon (4-1). But they have since followed those losses with two wins (3-1 against Angers and 4-2 against Monaco) before earning a credible draw against Rennes last weekend.
Coach Bruno Irles highlighted his player’s “solidarity” on Sunday after his team played over 60 minutes with ten men against eleven-man Rennes in that game. Keeping that dogged mindset will be essential to avoiding relegation this year for the visitors who finished in 15th place last season, six points ahead of 18th-placed St Etienne.
Having beaten Monaco during their last road trip, ESTAC will come into this tie confident of a victory even though it seems unlikely, especially as the visitors haven’t claimed full points in back-to-back away Ligue 1 games since 2001.
Possible Troyes starting line-up
Gauthier Gallon; Adil Rami, Jackson Porozo, Erik Palmer-Brown; Thierno Balde, Florian Tardieu, Rominigue Kouame, Rony Lopes, Yasser Larouci; Ike Ugbo, Mama Balde.
Injured: Andreas Bruus, Abdu Conte, Karim Azamoum
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Yoann Salmier
Prediction
Lens 3-1 Troyes
