Saturday evening’s Ligue 1 action brings us to the home of Lens, a team fighting to secure their position in the final European qualification spot. After a challenging four-game winless run, which saw them drop out of Europe and lose ground in the league, Lens bounced back with an impressive 3-0 away win against Lyon. However, their work is far from complete as they strive to secure another season on the continental stage.
Lens will take to the Estadio Bollaert-Delelis pitch, where they have struggled to find consistent success in recent matches. They have failed to win four of their last five competitive outings at home, with only one draw and three losses. One area of concern for Lens is their tendency to concede goals before half-time in these defeats. Tightening up in the early stages of the game will be crucial for them to tip the scales in their favor.
In their personal head-to-head record against second-placed Brest, Lens has a balanced record of three wins, two draws, and three losses. Brest, currently the best of the rest in Ligue 1, have put together an impressive 13-game unbeaten run in the top-flight, with nine wins and four draws. Their recent victories have narrowed the gap to the league leaders, Paris Saint-Germain, to just nine points.
It is remarkable to see Brest’s rise in Ligue 1, considering they have never qualified for Europe, let alone the UEFA Champions League. Manager Éric Roy deserves credit for masterminding this turnaround, but he should be concerned about his personal record against Lens. With just one win in their last six encounters, including three draws and two losses, Brest will need to overcome this bogey side to continue their impressive campaign.
Brest’s away form has been somewhat inconsistent, with three of their last four away games resulting in either a draw or a loss. However, they have been a strong team when playing as underdogs, with five wins, three draws, and four losses in such matches. Their ability to perform well against the odds will be tested in this crucial clash.
Two players to watch in this match are Florian Sotoca for Lens and Pierre Lees-Melou for Brest. Sotoca opened the scoring in Lens’ last game, marking his sixth consecutive season with at least ten league goal contributions. Lees-Melou has been invaluable for Brest in recent weeks, scoring their sole goal in three of his last four appearances.
A hot statistic for Brest is their unbeaten record and league-high 2.69 points per game when they score first. With eleven wins and two draws in such scenarios, Brest has shown their ability to hold onto leads and secure positive results.
As Lens and Brest face off in this crucial clash, both teams have their sights set on European qualification. Lens will be hoping to regain their winning form at home, while Brest aims to continue their impressive unbeaten run. With valuable players on both sides, this promises to be an exciting encounter in Ligue 1.
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