After the clear victory of RC Lens at the expense of Angers (3-0) on Saturday on behalf of the 28th day of Ligue 1, the coach of the Sang&Or Franck Haise no longer hides his ambitions: he wants to win a place in the Coupe d’ Europe next season.
Fifteen years of waiting… Although Racing Club de Lens has not played in the European Cup since its UEFA Cup campaign in the 2007-2008 season (elimination in the 1st round), it has never been so close to returning to the European stage. Saturday evening, at the Félix-Bollaert stadium, the Sang&Or, quiet winners of Angers (3-0), took another step towards qualification.
Provisional dolphin of PSG while waiting for the other results of this 28th day of Ligue 1, the RCL has a mattress of points which can allow him to be confident (57). Like Franck Haise, the Lensois no longer advance masked: “What I have in mind? Bring the club back to the European Cup, replies the Lens coach. We don’t hide it. We have always been ambitious.”
“We will pass the international break in good conditions”
And the technician to recall: “We remain on three wins and two draws in the last five matches. There are many positive aspects. We will pass the international break in good conditions. 57 points at that time of the season, that was our score two years ago at the end of the season… and it was already a good season. Four defeats in the last 40 matches, that shows great consistency.”
Despite these positive points, not everything was perfect against the SCO: “(At the start of the match) we couldn’t manage to trigger the high pressures, regrets Franck Haise. Even when we managed to trigger them, we were always at a distance. Angers easily found his pistons in the corridors to get out of the density. He had to move on. The players have found certain habits, even if Florian Sotoca (mute on Saturday evening) had to occupy the position of right piston. I know the Florian’s game intelligence and tactics, I knew he would adapt to this situation. We changed the game. He had a very good game.” Next meeting for Lens, April 1 on the lawn of Rennes.
