🔊 Can Lens secure their first points of the season at the “Bollaert-Delelis”? Their visitors are none other than Olympique Lyon. This promises to be an intensely thrilling match, much like all previous encounters between these rivals. Let's delve into the details of this clash and make a prediction on the outcome.

Head-to-Head

📊 The head-to-head clashes between Lens and Lyon are always filled with thrilling moments. Looking at their last 5 encounters, we see that four of them featured 3 or more goals. These teams tend to engage in high-scoring matches, and this trend could be leveraged for betting.

Lens Team Overview

🟡 Last season was Lens' most challenging since their promotion to Ligue 1 in 2020. The Red and Yellows finished 8th, missing out on European competition. During the off-season, the club appointed a new head coach, Pierre Sage, who previously managed Lyon. He certainly has insights to share with his players about his former team.

🔴 In preparation for the new season, Lens engaged in a series of impressive friendlies against teams from Europe's top divisions. Over seven matches, they suffered just one defeat, a 0-2 loss to Italian side AS Roma. Notable victories included triumphs over Wolverhampton Wanderers (3-1) and RB Leipzig (2-1). Overall, Pierre Sage's squad looks confident and prolific in front of goal, averaging 2.28 goals per game during their pre-season preparations.

Olympique Lyon Team Overview

🔵 In last season's French championship, Lyon secured a sixth-place finish, earning them a spot in the Europa League. This tournament is crucial for the team to showcase their abilities not just in the domestic league, but also on the international stage. Head coach Paulo Fonseca has repeatedly emphasized in interviews that both Ligue 1 and European competitions hold equal importance for his club.

🔴 During the off-season, Lyon started by facing relatively weaker teams but gradually moved on to top-tier opponents from the Bundesliga and La Liga. Notable results include a hard-fought loss to Bayern Munich (1-2) and two victories against Spanish sides: a 4-0 win over Mallorca and a 2-1 triumph against Getafe. Paulo Fonseca's squad is in excellent form offensively, averaging more than two goals per match even against strong opponents.

Latest news

Lens

🎙 Pierre Sage, ahead of the match against Lyon, stated: "I'm well acquainted with the players who will be there on Saturday, having coached ten or eleven of them who could take the field. I believe we've shown increasing maturity in our preparation regarding what we expect from the team, which is satisfying. The match against Leipzig was a stark contrast to the game against Roma. The goal of our preparatory matches was to be ready for this Saturday. The first day of the championship will be a revelation for us, but we are ambitious and confident."

🎤 Lens midfielder Adrien Thomasson shared his thoughts on the upcoming match with Lyon: "There have been many changes in their squad and starting lineup for Saturday. We've had time to observe them closely. The team is well-prepared for the new season. Despite losing some key players, they are relying on young talents who have come through the club and impressed during pre-season. I expect a strong opponent."

❌ Lens defender Joanner Chavez will miss the team's opening match of the Ligue 1 season due to an ankle injury.

Olympique Lyon

🎙 Lyon's head coach Paulo Fonseca made a statement ahead of the season's kickoff: “We are confident, the results from preseason have been positive. We have the opportunity to start the new season with fresh players. The outcomes have been very good. We’ve worked on many aspects. I believe we played some solid matches and I think we’re ready.” Fonseca also commented on the opening match against Lens: “We are very confident and have a positive mindset. We know it will be a tough first match against a home opponent, but the team is self-assured. I believe we can have a strong performance.”

❌ In the upcoming match, Lyon will be without two injured players: midfielder Orel Mangala, who returned from a loan at Everton, and Ghanaian forward Ernest Nuamah.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The upcoming match will be officiated by Romain Lissorgue. He's relatively lenient when it comes to yellow cards, averaging 3.76 per game over his last 100 matches. In their last ten games, Lens have averaged 2.4 yellow cards, while Lyon have averaged 2.7. Considering the stats for both teams and referee Romain Lissorgue, we suggest betting on total yellow cards under 5.5 for the upcoming match.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Both teams have been showcasing attacking football in the pre-season, creating numerous scoring opportunities and netting goals. During this preparation period, Lens have averaged 2.28 goals per game, while Lyon have scored 2. We recommend trusting these statistics and betting on total match goals over 2.5 in this encounter.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Over their last ten games, Lens and Lyon have averaged 4.4 and 5.4 corners respectively. We've noticed an interesting trend of total corners under 11.5 in matches involving these teams: for Lens, this occurred in 9 out of 10 instances, and for Lyon, in 3 out of 4. We suggest betting on total corners under 11.5 here.

Last season, both teams delivered similar performances, as they did in their pre-season friendlies for the upcoming championship. Historically, their head-to-head encounters often result in high-scoring games, as noted earlier. In their recent matches, both Lens and Lyon have been prolific in front of goal, even against tough opponents. We anticipate an attacking display from both sides and a flurry of goals. Our bet is on the total match goals over 2.5.