Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash between Lens and Paris FC, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Both on a mission to record back-to-back wins after the international break, Lens and Paris FC clash at Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Ligue 1 on Sunday afternoon.
Les Sang et Or picked up an away success at the base of Auxerre last time out, whilst Les Parisiens managed a routine home win over Lorient.
Match preview
After finishing eighth in the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season and missing out on European qualification by just a single place, Lens are on the hunt to return to the continental stage in 2026, with Sunday afternoon’s hosts enjoying a productive trip on the road last time out.
Les Sang et Or stretched their unbeaten run in the top flight with a 2-1 success at the home of Auxerre, with goals either side of the half-time whistle from Odsonne Edouard and Abdallah Sima securing maximum points at the base of the relegation-threatened side.
Collecting a respectable tally of seven points from their last three top-flight contests, Lens are currently occupying sixth spot in the Ligue 1 standings ahead of Sunday’s hosting of Paris, just three points behind Paris Saint-Germain who are sitting pretty at the top before their clash with Strasbourg.
Playing a part for Didier Deschamps’s France side during October’s international pause, Florian Thauvin has impressed for Les Sang et Or during the opening weeks of this season, with the 32-year-old scoring twice across seven Ligue 1 appearances for his team.
Following a second-placed finish in Ligue 2 last term, Paris FC are finally amongst French football’s elite during the 2025-26 campaign, with the capital city club looking to mount an immediate push for a spot in UEFA competition for the upcoming 2026-27 term.
Les Parisiens picked up their third league victory of the campaign last time out at Stade Jean Bouin, where first-half efforts from Ilan Kebbal and Jean-Philippe Krasso sealed three points at the expense of Lorient, who have conceded the joint-most goals in the division (16).
Losing just one of their last five top-flight encounters, Paris are in a good vein of form ahead of their trip to Lens on Sunday afternoon and sit eighth in the Ligue 1 rankings, three points behind a European position and five points ahead of the relegation zone.
A consistent creator for Les Parisiens in the second tier over recent campaigns, Algerian star Kebbal has taken to the top flight like a duck to water, with the 27-year-old scoring four goals and providing two assists across seven appearances at the level to date.
Lens Ligue 1 form:
W W L W D W
Lens form (all competitions):
W W L W D W
Paris FC Ligue 1 form:
L W W L D W
Paris FC form (all competitions):
L W W L D W
Team News
After seeing red during the victory over Auxerre last time out, Lens centre-back Pierre Ganiou is suspended for this weekend’s home match.
Les Sang et Or’s options at the back are limited further by the absence of Deiver Machado, who sustained a knee injury in September.
Finding the net in the win prior to the international break, former Celtic star Edouard is a doubt for Sunday because of a hamstring problem.
Managing just 78 minutes of Ligue 1 football this term owing to a groin injury, Paris midfielder Pierre-Yves Hamel is unlikely to feature.
After keeping a solid clean sheet against Lorient, Les Parisiens should stick with a centre-back pairing of Mamadou Mbow and Otavio.
Lens possible starting lineup:
Risser; Chavez, Baidoo, Sarr; Aguilar, Sangare, Thomasson, Udol; Thauvin, Said, Fofana
Paris FC possible starting lineup:
Nkambadio; Traore, Mbow, Otavio, De Smet; Lees-Melou, Lopez, Camara; Kebbal, Simon, Krasso
We say: Lens 1-1 Paris FC
On home soil this weekend, Lens will be confident of picking up a result against a newly-promoted team in front of their own supporters.
That being said, Paris are no ordinary promoted outfit and should be good enough for a share of the points with Les Sang et Or.
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