After the feat in the Champions League, the rise in the Ligue 1 rankings? Brilliant winner over Arsenal on Tuesday, Lens, only 15th in the championship, is looking for points in the Northern derby against Lille on Sunday (5:05 p.m.).
Bollaert’s fury had barely subsided when his spans were about to roar again. Five days after its remarkable victory against the Gunners (2-1), the lair of the Sang et Or hosts the 117th Northern derby, usually the match that supporters of the two clubs mark as soon as the Ligue 1 calendar is unveiled .
Those from Lille were, however, prohibited from traveling by an order from the Pas-de-Calais prefecture, despite an appeal by Losc to the Administrative Court.
Beyond the usual excitement, additional pressure this time accompanies the players of the Artesian club, still in bad shape in the championship despite a recent recovery punctuated by two victories, against Toulouse (2-1) then at Strasbourg (1-0 ), after the click in Seville (1-1) in C1.
This new big meeting is a blessing in disguise, according to the players. “We said it to each other in the locker room. We are happy to play Lille because it will be a big match,” says Adrien Thomasson. “We are going to have to increase the intensity. We cannot lower our level. Being able to play a derby after a huge match is something good.”
Tuesday evening, coach Franck Haise, lucid, already had his head turned towards this Sunday meeting: “We will have other great evenings to experience, starting with the derby. What matters, from now on, is to prepare Lille well.”
– Lille possession, Lens advantage? –
Better ranked (seventh with 11 points), Lille are only a few points off the podium but are showing inconsistency. In the league, they have still not had two victories in a row and are struggling to regain the attacking play that was their strength last season.
Held in check on Thursday in the Faroe Islands, with a very reworked 11, by the very modest club of Klaksvik (0-0), in the Europa Conference League, the Mastiffs were not as much celebrating as the Artois players.
Adam Ounas after scoring a goal for Lille against Nantes, August 20, 2023 at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium / AFP
At Bollaert, however, they will be able to count on the return of Nabil Bentaleb, Adam Ounas (muscle injuries) and Samuel Umtiti (concussion), uncertain but ultimately all “ready”, announced coach Paulo Fonseca on Saturday.
“They are not ready to play 90 minutes, but it is important to have players like them in the group,” added the Portuguese technician.
Enough to perhaps offer some additional solutions to Losc, while this duel a priori comes at the right time for the Racing club of Lens, in a better dynamic. The characteristics of the Lille game should not, moreover, displease the Lensois: Lille should have possession, which suits the rivals.
Fans of the game of “dispossession” – like against Arsenal where they only had the ball 32% of the time – Franck Haise’s players thrive on high recoveries and rapid transition phases. Their goal scored on the last day of L1 in Strasbourg (1-0) – the first from rookie Elye Wahi, also decisive against Arsenal – illustrates this.
“I think that we have found RC Lens for a while now,” noted Jonathan Gradit, who will be suspended on Sunday. “We had a very good match in Seville. We are finding our fundamentals, with a lot of desire.”
The return to form of the managers and the character of this team coincided with the club’s recent good results. “Mental resources, in high-level sport, are essential, recalls Franck Haise. There are a certain number of them. If you are not able to get up when you have just lost, when you are down, this is not the case. This is not the profession you should choose.”
This increase in power comes largely from this newfound capacity for reaction. It could continue against Lille to conclude a dream week.
2023-10-08 05:47:19
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