This Saturday January 18Paris Saint-Germain (1st) faces Lens (7th) at Stade Bollaert (kick-off at 5 p.m., broadcast on beIN SPORTS) as part of the 18th day of Ligue 1 2024-2025. And as before each match, here is the presentation of the Parisians’ opponent.
The situation in Lens –
After a moment of excitement, Lens won a little last season. Rather than playing the title race to the end, there was a qualification for the Europa Conference League play-off. There is a change this summer, coach Franck Haise having left for a new challenge in Nice while Will Still arrived from Reims.
The start of this new adventure is interesting, the idea of the game remains relatively close, but there are a few misses including the European elimination against Panathinaïkós and a lack of goals. The RCL is still 7th in Ligue 1 and still in the race for Europe.
The summer market 2024 –
Source : Transfer market.
Departures:
Arrivals: 
The winter market 2024-2025 –
Source : Transfer market.
Departures:
Arrivals:
The main statistics –
This season, Lens has the 12best attack of the championship with 21 goals scored (the first, PSG, is at 46, and the last, Le Havre, is at 13), and is among the 2es best defenses with 16 goals conceded (PSG is first with 15, the last, Montpellier, is at 42).
The Lensois top scorer East Brother Nzola (28-year-old striker), with 4 goals he is 18th in the league (the first in Ligue 1 is Jonathan David with 11 goals). Ruben Aguilar (right side, 31 years old) is the best passer from Lens with 1 assist, he is 57th in Ligue 1 (Dilane Bakwa is first with 6 assists).
Lens’ last 5 matches –
Only Lens possession is indicated and Lens shots are put first (when data is available).
08/12/2024 (Ligue 1) – Lens/Montpellier : 2-0. In 4-2-3-1. 54% possession. 17 shots including 3 on target against 7 shots (4 on target).
14/12/2024 (Ligue 1) – Auxerre/Lens: 2-2. In 4-2-3-1. 61% possession. 16 shots including 5 on target versus 10 shots (3 on target)
-12/22/2024 (Coupe de France) – Lens/PSG: 1-1 (3-4 at TAB). In 5-3-2. 68% possession. 17 shots including 6 on target against 11 shots (4 on target).
05/01/2025 (Ligue 1) – Lens (at 10 in the 61st minute, 0-0) /Toulouse: 0-1. In 4-2-3-1. 66% possession. 14 shots including 1 on target against 8 shots (4 on target).
01/12/2025 (Ligue 1) – Le Havre/Lens: 1-2. In 4-2-3-1. 70% possession. 25 shots including 7 on target versus 8 shots (4 on target).
The group and the probable team.
Absent – Satriano, Labeau-Lascary, Chavez, Petric (injury), Danso (suspension)
The Team (3-4-1-2) –
Koyalipou – Sotoca
Fulgini
Machado – Diouf – Thomasson – Frankowski
Medina – Sarr – Gradit
Coffee.
Lens’ style of play.
In the usual idea of Will Still, the idea of Lens, who was already close with Franck Haise, is to play high and press in order to have possession and multiply the opportunities without being in too much danger. This last point works, since Lens is very solid. But there is a big efficiency deficit which is costly.
We saw it with the 1-0 in the championship on November 2 and the 1-1 in the 32nd final of the Coupe de France on December 22, nothing will be easy. Lens could choose to be in a block to counter or try to play high, there are the weapons for both options.
Our video on Lens/PSG:
