Lensvs.Reims

The Blood and Gold are still hopeful of breaking into the European places following a recent resurgence, while Reims are seeking to avoid relegation before having a shot at cup glory, and subsequent potential European qualification of their own.

Match preview

Just as it seemed that Lens' hopes of qualifying for Europa for a third year running were gone, Still's men have given themselves a fighting chance heading into the final six games of the season.

Four straight Ligue 1 defeats looked like it had killed off any hopes of finishing inside the top seven, but Lens have roared back with three wins in their last four games to move back into contention.

All three of those victories came via a 1-0 scoreline, away to Marseille, and here at the Bollaert-Delelis against Rennes and Saint-Etienne, and that is the same number of wins they had managed across the 10 games prior.

The hosts also have the chance to record a third straight home league win in almost a year-and-a-half - a run which also included a victory against upcoming opponents Reims.

Lens start the weekend ninth, and still five points adrift of the European places with only 18 points to play for, but that is a much healthier place than they were in a few weeks ago.

Four of the Blood and Gold's final six games are also against teams currently outside the top seven, but all of those must end in victory if they are to have a realistic chance, and Reims are the lowest-ranked side of those six.

Thankfully for the hosts, they have a superb record against the Red and Whites, winning 10 of their last 12 head-to-heads on home soil, scoring an impressive 30 goals in the process.

You have to go all the way back to 1977 to find the last time Reims won a match against the hosts in Ligue 1, with the 13 clashes since resulting in seven Lens wins and six draws.

That does not bode well for a Reims side that are desperate for points, starting the weekend in the relegation playoff spot following a defeat to Strasbourg last weekend.

Reims' tally of 26 points from 28 games is the lowest they have amassed since the 1978-79 season, when they had just 17 and finished bottom.

Samba Diawara's men did earn a 0-0 draw away to Brest and ended a 14-game winless league run at home Marseille in mid-March, while also beating Cannes to reach the Coupe de France final, but they remain mired in deep relegation trouble, with all the clubs around them picking up points.

Four of their final six games will be away from home, and that is cause for concern, because Reims have taken just six points from their last 10 matches on the road in Ligue 1, failing to score in the previous four.

Angers and Le Havre are just one point above them on the right side of the dotted line, but Saint-Etienne are also putting the pressure on behind them in the automatic relegation places, so Reims' preparation for the cup final at the end of the season could all be geared towards fighting against the drop.

Lens Ligue 1 form:

L

L

W

W

L

W

Reims Ligue 1 form:

L

L

L

D

W

L

Reims form (all competitions):

L

L

D

W

W

L

Team News

Neil El Aynaoui has been in scintillating form for Lens across the last five matches, scoring two and assisting another from midfield, while picking up two man-of-the-match awards to boot, but he will be suspended here due to the booking he picked up in defeat to Lille at the end of March.

Winger Remy Labeau Lascary is out for the season with an ACL injury, and is joined on the sidelines by Martin Satriano, Jonathan Gradit and Jhoanner Chavez, who will all remain out.

Teenage striker Jeremy Agbonifo could return after illness ruled him out of the Saint-Etienne clash, but competition is high in the Lens attack, with M'Bala Nzola, Wesley Said, and last week's match-winner Goduine Koyalipou all in contention.

There was much confusion about the angry scenes seen at the end of Reims' clash with Strasbourg last week, as Cedric Kipre was sent off in a case of mistaken identity, when Mory Gbane should've been the man dismissed.

As it stands Kipre will serve the ban as no announcement has been made and fellow centre-back Joseph Okumu was withdrawn with a shoulder injury and is also set to miss out.

Mohamed Daramy, Yaya Fofana, Gabriel Moscardo and Reda Khadra remain absent for the visitors, who will once more look towards Japanese duo Keito Nakamura and Junya Ito, and the returning Jordan Siebatcheu, for inspiration in attack.

Lens possible starting lineup:

Ryan; Sarr, Juma Bah, Medina; Aguilar, Thomasson, A Diouf, Machado; Sotoca, Said, Koyalipou

Reims possible starting lineup:

Y Diouf; Aurelio Buta, Sekine, Sangui, Akieme; Gbane, Atangana, Am Kone; Ito, Siebatcheu, Nakamura

We say: Lens 1-0 Reims

Lens' three recent wins have all come via a 1-0 scoreline, and many of their matches under Still have been cagey, so despite their superiority on paper over Reims, another tight encounter could be in store.

Written by

Andrew Delaney

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