Finish the season well. This is what the Lensois have been hammering for a week. After their third consecutive defeat in Bordeaux (3-0), Racing will try to return to victory in the last act of the season, this Sunday evening (9 p.m.), by hosting Monaco. The objective of the Sang et Or is clear: to qualify for the European Cup and finish at least 6th. But the task will be tough, facing Monegasques still struggling to finish among the top three in Ligue 1.
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Lensois side, Clément Michelin will be absent, not sufficiently recovered from a knee injury. Gaël Kakuta, injured in the toe at the beginning of the week, will start the meeting on the bench. Massadio Haïdara comes back from injury and will start. Florian Sotoca and Issiaga Sylla are also back after suspension.
The challenge: to finish European
“When you are a competitor, you want to go all the way”, said Franck Haise this Friday at a press conference. The Lensois coach knows that victory against Monaco is imperative to keep this sixth place synonymous with qualifying for the first edition of the Europa Conference League next season. The Europa League remains, with a combination of circumstances, still accessible. In the event of a draw or defeat, it will be necessary to count on a poor result from Rennes to hope to leave the 2020-2021 season with Europe in his pocket.
Lens is 5th and qualified in the Europa League if:
- Lens wins against Monaco, Marseille loses to Metz and Lens managed to overtake Marseille on goal difference (+1 for Lens, +7 for Marseille)
Lens is 6th and qualified in the Europa Conference League if:
- Lens wins against Monaco
- Lens draws against Monaco but Rennes loses against Nîmes
- Lens loses against Monaco but Rennes loses against Nîmes
The declaration: whatever happens, the season is successful?
This is the first time this season that the Blood and Gold have a chain of three consecutive defeats (in Paris, against Lille and Bordeaux). But even in the event of a negative result against Monaco, the Lensois want to retain whatever happens their good course this season. “It would leave a bitter taste, for sure, but we must not question everything”, affirms the Lensois captain Yannick Cahzac. Best promoted in Europe, at La Gaillette everyone assures us that a 7th place final will be a good result. “Sunday evening it will be necessary to look at the analysis of 38 days and not of the last three days and maybe the disappointment will be less great”, explains Franck Haise.
The player to watch: Florian Sotoca
Back after his suspension of a meeting for accumulation of yellow cards, the second best scorer from Lens of the season, with 8 goals. will be, except for very last minute injury, holder at the forefront of the attack alongside Ignatius Ganago. Less spirited than in the first part of the season, he has not scored in the colors of blood and gold since March 3 against Saint-Etienne, even if a calf injury kept him away from the field in April. For him, it might be a good time to score again. The European qualification would be good for the Narbonnais. Five years ago, he played in Nationale 2 with Grenoble.
The stat ‘: The Lensois each time take a goal
13 consecutive matches with at least one goal conceded. This is the unflattering statistic for the Lens defense. It’s even worse over the last three meetings, where Racing has taken 8 goals. Defensive strength will be one of the keys to the match against Monaco for Franck Haise: “If we are not solid against Monaco, we will suffer”. For their part, the Monegasques have conceded only 5 goals in their last twelve meeting. “What they have done this year is top level”, confides a Franck Haise admiring his counterpart Niko Kovac.
