Lens vs Lyon Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 French Ligue 1
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This is a really intriguing clash this weekend with a Lens side looking to build under Will Still without European football up against an Olympique Lyonnais side that have experienced a fairly bizarre 12 months or so.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 15th September, 2024 - UK – 7:45pm / US ET – 2:45pm / US PT – 11:45am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – beIN Sports
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Ligue 1 Pass / US – beIN Sports
LENS PREVIEW: WILL STILL’S LENS
English-Belgian coach Will Still is in charge of Lens after leaving Stade de Reims at the back end of last season. In Ligue 1 it has been a bright start but there will be a lot of frustration about missing out on the league phase of the UEFA Europa Conference League with a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Panathinaikos in the playoffs.
The northerners did start the 2024/25 Ligue 1 season with back-to-back victories, though, against Angers and then Stade Brest without conceding respectively. They lost their 100% record in their last game with a 1-1 draw against Monaco at Stade Louis II with Przemyslaw Frankowski stealing a point for Still’s side with a 94th minute penalty.
LYON PREVIEW: THE UNKNOWN OF LYON
For over half of last season, Olympique Lyonnais collected the most points in Ligue 1 after the appointment of Pierre Sage. Their issue lay in the fact they wasted the first four months of the campaign down at rock-bottom with both Laurent Blanc and then Fabio Grosso the men that underperformed so much in charge.
A bizarre summer transfer window has seen their Sporting Director sacked by their bizarre owner, John Textor. Lyon started with two losses by an aggregate of 5-0 against Rennes and then Monaco before summoning the spirit of earlier this calendar year to come from 3-1 down and defeat Strasbourg by four goals to three at Parc OL before the break.
LENS TEAM NEWS: ZAROURY ISSUE
Following his permanent transfer from Burnley, Moroccan winger Anass Zaroury is out with a sprained ankle this weekend alongside the likes of Jimmy Cabot and Neil El Aynoui.
Little needed changing from Franck Haise’s Lens but an international break and clear midweeks will help Will Still put his mark on the northerners this season.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-1-2): Samba; Gradit, Khusanov, Facundo Medina; Aguilar, Thomasson, Diouf, Jhoanner Chavez; Martin Satriano; Sotoca, Said
UNAVAILABLE: Cabot (Injured), El Aynaoui (Injured), Zaroury (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
LYON TEAM NEWS: CONFUSION AT LYON
After reportedly going missing to avoid being sold and then receiving an apology from the aforementioned Textor, Ernest Nuamah is now unavailable for Lyon with a thigh injury.
There will be problems for Sage to fit their attacking players into a cohesive side but his only other absentee for this weekend is Argentina international defender Nicolas Tagliafico.
PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Perri; Clinton Mata, Caleta-Car, Niakhate; Maitland-Niles, Caqueret, Matic, Tolisso, Abner; Mikautadze, Lacazette
UNAVAILABLE: Tagliafico (Injured), Nuamah (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
LENS VS LYON PREDICTION
Both managers and both sides play good football in different ways. Will Still has a far more methodical approach and that may well suit a Lens side still set up in a way that had them punching above their weight in recent seasons. Lyon are a bit more chaotic and unpredictable which does excite the imagination a bit more. That said, regardless of their differences, the outcome does mean both teams scoring is a good bet.
LENS VS LYON TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
