Two sides in the hunt for a place in Europe next season resume their Ligue 1 campaigns on Sunday as Lens host Toulouse at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Heading into 2025, Les Sang et Or are seventh, playing to a 2-2 draw with Auxerre in their previous league contest, putting them three points above ninth-place Toulouse, who defeated Saint-Etienne 2-1.
Match preview
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Near the tail end of 2024, Lens found their form domestically, going unbeaten in their final three Ligue 1 affairs to end the year.
The club from Pas-de-Calais have points in four of their previous five league contests, only behind Nice for a Europa Conference League place on goal difference and just a point below Lyon for a Europa League spot.
They have emerged victorious in two of their previous three home fixtures in this competition, claiming at least a point in five of their seven league games played at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Will Still's men have netted multiple goals in three straight league contests, and this weekend, they could make it four in a row for the first time since May to August 2023 (six).
So far, in 2024-25, they have dropped four points from a winning position but have also gained two points from a losing one.
Les Sang et Or have won their last six Ligue 1 meetings with Toulouse and could establish their longest winning run against a single opponent in this competition with maximum points this weekend.
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A solid month of December has Les Violets back in the hunt for a spot in Europe after a difficult beginning to the new campaign.
Carles Martinez Novell's side won just one of their opening nine games in this competition but ended 2024 with two wins in their final three contests.
Le Tefece are on a two-match losing run away from home in the top flight, failing to find the back of the net on both occasions.
After 15 matchdays this season, Toulouse have picked up 21 points, eight more than they accumulated at this stage of the previous campaign.
Meanwhile, they have won five of their previous seven domestic games, as many as they had across their previous 18 league contests.
In the 21st century, Les Pitchouns have failed to score in 50% of their Ligue 1 matches versus Lens (10/20), their highest such rate against a team that they have met in more than three seasons.
Team News
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Lens will be without Remy Labeau Lascary because of a cruciate ligament injury, Nampalys Mendy is dealing with a knock, Sidi Bane has a hamstring strain and Ruben Aguilar is doubtful because of a sore shoulder.
First-choice goalkeeper Brice Samba was reportedly on his way to Rennes according to his coach, only for the club to block the transfer on Friday, while Kevin Danso has been linked to several Premier League clubs.
M'Bala Nzola and Neil El Aynaoui netted in their previous domestic affair in December, enabling them to earn a single point against Auxerre.
On the Toulouse side, Rasmus Nicolaisen could be a game-time decision because of a sore ankle, while Cristian Casseres was cautioned in their previous league contest and will be suspended for this match.
There was only one change to their starting 11 on matchday 15 from the side that began their contest versus Monaco as Shavy Babicka came into the lineup in place of Yann Gboho.
Babicka levelled their match with Les Verts two minutes after going behind last month, with the winner coming courtesy of Zakaria Aboukhlal, five minutes from the end.
Lens possible starting lineup:
Koffi; Frankowski, Gradit, Khusanov, Medina; Thomasson, El Ayanoui; Da Costa, Fulgini, Sotoca; Nzola
Toulouse possible starting lineup:
Restes; Sidibe, Cresswell, McKenzie; Genreau, Schmidt, Sierro, Suazo; Babicka, Aboukhlal; King
We say: Lens 2-1 Toulouse
Both teams are in good form heading into the new year, but we believe the aggressiveness and pressing of the home side will be too difficult for Toulouse to handle in the end.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
