Lens vs Rennes

Stade Bollaert-Delelis forms the backdrop for a handsomely-looking Ligue 1 encounter between Lens and Rennes.

After falling victim to last season’s success, Lens’ start to life without Lois Openda and Seko Fofana was off to an awfully wrong start as they spurned a 2-0 lead in a morale-damaging 3-2 defeat at Brest on the opening weekend. Another runner-up finish looks seemingly off the table. But with Montpellier striker ElyeWahi coming in, manager Franck Heise will pray for better days ahead of Lens’ first Champions League group stage participation since 2002/03. The impending home return will bolster the hosts’ quest to avoid losing back-to-back league games for the first time since 2022. ‘Les Sang et Or’ went from strength to strength at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis last season, racking up an eye-catching 17 wins in 19 league matches on home turf (D1, L1).

On the other hand, visiting Rennes couldn’t have hoped for a better league start than an eye-watering 5-1 home thumping of newly-promoted Metz. Keen to better last season’s 4th-place finish and return to the Champions League, ‘Les Rennais’ can draw confidence from stringing together five successive league victories, including four they pulled off down the final stretch of last season. Their previous five-game winning league streak ended with a 1-1 draw, an outcome Bruno Genesio’s side wouldn’t mind posting here, given their woeful record of four wins from 44 away H2Hs in Ligue 1 (D13, L26). Interestingly, none of Rennes’ last six league matches on the road have ended level (W3, L3), reducing the visitors’ hopes of sharing the spoils.