Eight months after their last meeting, Paris and Lens are finally set to face each other again. Sitting second in the table behind the capital club, the Sang & Or have enjoyed an exceptional season, far exceeding their initial expectations. The northerners are on a run of five consecutive wins at Bollaert, having scored 16 goals and conceded just four during that period. A run they will be keen to continue against the Rouge et Bleu in their final home game of the season.
For their part, Paris Saint-Germain have the chance to put an end to the long-running title race with Lens. Provided they avoid defeat against the Sang & Or, the capital club will be officially crowned 2026 French champions. To achieve this, Luis Enrique and his men will need to build on their momentum, having recorded three wins and three clean sheets in their last three away matches in Ligue 1. This promises to be a fierce battle between the top two teams in the league…
6 – Paris have won each of their last six league matches against Lens; the northern club have only once suffered a longer run of defeats against the same opponent in the top flight (seven against Racing CF between 1959 and 1963).
18 – With 18 goals each, RC Lens and Paris Saint-Germain are the two teams that have scored the most goals from set pieces in Ligue 1 this season.
67 – Lens have 67 points after 32 Ligue 1 matches this season, their highest tally at this stage of the competition.
In goal for Lens, Pierre Sage will naturally be relying on Robin Risser. Having just been named Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Season, the French U21 international is expected to be backed up by a three-man central defence. An indispensable figure since the start of the campaign, Malang Sarr will of course be in the starting line-up, as will Samson Baidoo. The Austrian international has been one of Lens’s standout performers this season, alongside Ismaëlo Ganiou. The French Under-21 international is therefore likely to be preferred to the solid Nidal Celik, whilst Jonathan Gradit remains sidelined long-term.
On the right, Saud Abdulhamid (3 goals and 8 assists in all competitions this season) is suspended and will also miss the match against Paris. French international Ruben Aguilar is therefore expected to start, whilst Matthieu Udol (3 goals, 9 assists) will start on the opposite side. Having enjoyed a strong season, the former Metz player has established himself as one of his team’s key players and will therefore be preferred to Arthur Masuaku, on loan from Sunderland. In midfield, the Lens coaching staff can count on two key returns: captain Adrien Thomasson (4 goals, 10 assists) and Mamadou Sangaré (3 goals, 4 assists).
The former is none other than the top assist provider in the top flight, and is undoubtedly enjoying the most successful season of his career. As for the latter, the Malian international has dazzled the league with his talent throughout the campaign, leaving only scraps for his national team-mate Amadou Haidara, who arrived this winter from Leipzig. Up front, RCL face some significant uncertainties: Florian Thauvin (12 goals, 8 assists) is not certain to start on the right wing, the same applies to Allan Saint-Maximin (4 goals, 3 assists) on the opposite flank.
Wesley Saïd (10 goals, 2 assists) is therefore the favourite to start on the left wing, whilst Rayan Fofana (6 goals, 1 assist) and Florian Sotoca will be on standby to replace the French international on the right. As for the centre-forward position, however, there is no suspense, as former Parisian Odsonne Édouard (13 goals, 3 assists) is expected to start. The former Celtic striker has already made a successful return to the top flight and will be preferred to Senegal international Abdallah Sima (6 goals, 3 assists), who is capable of playing anywhere in the attack and is tipped to make an appearance during the match.
