Au character. In the not-so-distant past, Lens would have missed the boat. But with selflessness and heart, the Blood and Gold brought back a point from Angers. Hard won, of course, but it is a point that counts for the rest of the events. Even if the Lensois do not get wet in the projections, we suspect that the European places are now in the small papers of the club. On the other hand, Metz took advantage of the little artesian slack to give them priority. But fifth place is still within reach. Lens remains in contact, and that, Franck Haise does not forget. “The goal is really to go as high as possible. Maybe in the end, we’ll be 8th or 10th because there may still be a lot going on. But as long as we produce the game like in Angers, and as long as we put this investment, we have the right to dream of the best I think. “
Aim for the moon
Pretty crazy to think that with ten days from the end, Lens has completed its maintenance mission and is now elbowing up there. “The first objective was to maintain it. We got it on the 26th day and that no one will be able to take it away from us. Now we will try to finish as high as possible, but I don’t want to talk about Europe yet. If we are 5th to 37th day, it might be something else, we’ll see. “
A speech of the caliber of what the coach has been offering since the start of the season. Do not go too far into the lyrics to avoid burning your wings. And it has worked well for him so far. On the other hand, his Angevin counterpart Stéphane Moulin was much more cash at the end of the meeting: “Lens plays Europe. “ It is said, posed. Julien Stéphan (Rennes) thought no less on February 6. So yes, Lens is really a contender for Europe. The Artesian team is still running continuously, and even if Kakuta suffered a bit physically last weekend, there are two or three who will be delighted to take over on Wednesday at Saint-Étienne.
Change
Spoiled for choice or almost! Tony Mauricio, David Pereira Da Costa or even the famous 4-4-2 without number 10 which had already been tested by the Lensoise formation. To see, but the 49-year-old technician should rotate his squad a bit before going to play the Red Star this weekend. It was in any case what he had presented before starting this big week. Rotation to be expected! But in the to do list of the Lensois staff, it is the Stéphanois cousin that you have to beat to start. A cousin who slowly climbed the slope before regaining his feet in the carpet in Lorient after three wins, two draws.
After a promising start to the season, the ambitions of the Greens were quickly revised downwards. Handicapped by injuries and unable to build, Claude Puel’s players are in dire straits. Without victory against their direct opponents (Dijon, Reims, Nîmes, Nantes and recently Lorient), the Ligériens are only five points behind the Crocodiles, barragists.
Sans Kakuta ni Ganago
In the first leg, the Sang et Or had beaten ASSE thanks to Kakuta (SP) and Sotoca (2-0). But the fact of the match, at the time, concerned Ignatius Ganago. The Cameroonian was injured by the Arrasois, Timothée Kolodziejczak. Since then, the Lensois striker has struggled to come back on a lasting basis. He was absent this weekend after a last-minute relapse. Once again, Racing will have to compose without Ganago, therefore. Cheick Doucouré will be suspended. Gaël Kakuta is put to rest for the week just like Issiaga Sylla. A group with arguments to try to win the second round of the coal derby.
Saint-Étienne – Lens: Wednesday March 3 at 7 p.m.
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