This Sunday at the Bollaert-Delelis stadium, the Racing club de Lens (5th, 53 pts) receives Nîmes Olympique (18th, 31 pts) at 3 pm on behalf of the 34th day of Ligue 1. On the eve of this match between a contender for Europe and a team fighting to stay in the elite, Gard objective presents the forces present within the northern club.
Twenty-one cases of covid in the season and a cluster that has not ended since April 8. In addition to the injuries and suspensions that affect each Ligue 1 club, RC Lens is hit hard by the health crisis. But this season, nothing seems to be able to stop the Blood and Gold. Not even the epidemic which deprives the artesian club of a public that we know usually predominant at the Bollaert stadium.
On the way to qualifying for the Europa League five days from the end, the Northerners are undoubtedly the sensation of the championship. “At the beginning, we spoke of a surprise effect, but it just goes on and on, Richard Gotte, a journalist at the Northern voice. The collective strength that is emerging around the 3-5-2 system is impressive. “
Revelations in spades
If the Lensoise training can count on a few briscards broken in the games of Ligue 1, like the playmaker Kakuta (absent this Sunday because of covid), the goalkeeper Leca or the midfielder Cahuzac, it mainly has a incalculable number of revelations: Sotoca, Clauss, Doucouré, Banza, Badé … All have adapted perfectly to the requirements of the elite. And continue on their way despite the pitfalls.
“Since the start of the cluster, the team has operated with a very small group in training”, points out Richard Gotte. However, the points counter is running and Lens has not been able to lose for 12 days, or three months of competition. This success, the Artesian club owes a lot to another revelation that we find on the sidelines. Franck Haise, 50 years old and almost a novice at this level, was probably one of the least known coaches in Ligue 1 at the start of the season. “He’s doing like a boss, underlines the journalist. He often reacts very calmly and adapts to all situations. ”
He will still have to be inspired this Sunday to compose his eleven while his group is cut off by ten players, including the two top scorers, Sotoca and Kakuta. But also throughout the final sprint to resist the returns of Marseille and Rennes in the race for 5th place. A task all the more difficult as the Sang et Or have yet to face Paris, Lille and Monaco. But this season, not much scares them.
Boris Boutet
Player to watch: Clauss
He discovered Ligue 1 this season, at the age of 28, in the Sang et Or jersey. Passed by the amateur clubs of Avranches and Rahon-l’Étape, Jonathan Clauss only signed his first professional contract in 2017 , with US Quevilly-Rouen. After his remarkable passage in German D2, Lens smelled the right thing and enlisted the right side defender. With seven assists and three goals, Jonathan Clauss is one of the revelations of the season, where he has a blast in the 3-5-2 system advocated by Franck Haise.
“He is very active in the right lane, knows how to take up space and create shifts, analyse Richard Gotte. He’s a very strong player in the offensive transition, maybe a little less for defensive tasks. I think he’s perfect in that piston role in a 3-5-2. In a 4-man defense, he would probably be a more common right-back. ” This Sunday, Clauss will be opposed to the Meling-Ferhat pair, the usually stronger side of Nîmes Olympique. This duel between excellent counter-attackers is undoubtedly one to follow closely.
The probable 11 : Leca – Haïdara, Badé, Gradit – Clauss, Cahuzac, Fofana, Doucouré Sylla – Jean (or Ganago), Kalimuendo
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