Lens vs Nantes prediction
Lens
French Lens has been the troublemaker of this Ligue 1 season. Almost throughout, the red and gold team has been challenging PSG, refusing to let them break away in the championship. Pierre Sage's work, who has built an aggressive and attacking style of play for the hosts, is simply admirable. Yes, wresting the top spot from Luis Enrique's team is a tall order, but with three rounds to go, PSG is still not the champion.
Unfortunately for Lens, they couldn't capitalize on PSG's slip-up against Lorient this round (2-2), as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Nice away in the French championship. They were leading until the 85th minute, but the sending off of Abdul-Hamid and Abdi's goal led to a draw. This served as a rehearsal for the upcoming French Cup final against the red and blacks. Against Nantes, Abdul-Hamid, Sangare, and Thomasson will miss out due to suspensions, while Thauvin and Saint-Maximin are out with injuries. These players are crucial to the host's rotation, so we won’t see Lens' strongest lineup.
Nantes
Nantes, under Valid Halilhodzic, finds themselves relegated from Ligue 1, after playing there for the past 13 years. Catching up with Auxerre, who are sitting 16th in the playoff spot, and making up 5 points in the next two matches is nearly impossible, given both teams' schedules.
Nonetheless, Nantes’ home victory over Marseille, where they obliterated them 3-0 in the second half, turned out to be a Pyrrhic victory because Pélissier’s team also won in the 31st round. With nothing to lose in Lens, they need to win at all costs to keep any hope alive. Lens' lineup woes may inadvertently strengthen the Canaries' position. Some significant losses for the squad include defender Machado (injured against Marseille and a former Lens player), as well as Tati and Santonze – these absences significantly weaken their defensive setup, making Lens' position vulnerable.
Prediction
I'm expecting a shootout and an active game from both teams, stemming from their current standings. Nantes is holding onto their last chance to do something and fight for the playoffs, while they can't permanently rely on their rear (due to both their losses and situational necessity) and will have to take risks at Bollaert-Delelis.
For Lens, the absences might affect their balance, but Sage has unified the players under an aggressive philosophy, meaning their playing style will stay unchanged – the hosts will push forward. All these factors create a scenario for a potentially high-scoring encounter at the beginning of the 32nd Ligue 1 round.
In 6 of their last 7 meetings, our intended outcome was evident. Including the cup, 8 out of the last 9 matches for Lens saw 3 or more goals scored (their playing style dictates it), while Nantes delivered 3 such games recently in the championship (with their defensive losses and nothing to lose). All signals point towards an action-packed goal fest tomorrow.
