Saturday will be the 100th Ligue 1 meeting between Lens and Strasbourg, who square off at Stade Bollaert-Delelis, with that game becoming the 41st fixture to reach that milestone in this competition.
A week ago, Les Sang et Or moved up to sixth in the table with a 1-0 victory over Nantes, while Strasbourg were beaten 2-1 by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Match preview
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Another solid defensive display by Lens to begin the month of February has them inching closer toward a European place next season.
Franck Haise's men are within two points of Monaco for a place in the Europa League, winning back-to-back away matches in the league for the first time since May-June of last season.
At home, it has not gone as well for them in 2024, losing in a shootout versus Monaco at the Coupe de France (6-5) and suffering a 2-0 defeat versus the league leaders PSG.
Lens have been held scoreless at home on only two occasions in this competition, but they have not lost consecutive Ligue 1 fixtures at Stade Bollaert-Delelis since suffering a pair of 1-0 defeats at home to Strasbourg and Nice in January 2021.
Nine of their 10 clean sheets domestically this season have come after the October international break, with no team in any of the big-five European leagues picking up as many over that span.
They got the better of Strasbourg in their previous league meeting in September (1-0) and can post just their fourth 100% record against them in a single-season with a victory this weekend and their first since the 2003-04 campaign.
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Strasbourg could not collect a point in a league fixture last weekend for the first time since a 2-1 defeat versus Reims in early December.
That defeat to PSG ended an eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions for Le Racing as they conceded multiple goals in a domestic contest for the first time since losing to Reims.
Strasbourg will enter this contest on a six-match unbeaten run in all competitions away from home, conceding a goal or fewer in each instance.
Patrick Vieira's men have yet to triumph away from home versus a side currently above them in the Ligue 1 table, with their only domestic victory against a team ahead of them being at home against Lille last December (2-1).
Le RCS have scored and conceded at least once in each of their last nine matches in this competition since returning from the November international break, with PSG being the only other side in the French top-flight to net in each of their league contests since that point.
They have earned a positive result in three of their previous four visits to Stade Bollaert-Delelis in Ligue 1 or 2, the most recent one occurring in September 2021 (1-0).
Team News
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Guinea and Uzbekistan were knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup, respectively, meaning Morgan Guilavogui and Abdukodir Khusanov should be available for Lens, though Jimmy Cabot is still nursing an ACL injury.
Haise made just one change to his starting 11 from matchday 19 to 20 in the league, bringing in Przemyslaw Frankowski instead of Wesley Said last weekend.
David Costa netted his second goal of the domestic campaign in their previous encounter, and Brice Samba made two saves to collect his 10th clean sheet, putting him third in the league behind Lucas Chevalier (12) and Marcin Bulka (13).
Strasbourg will be without Lebo Mothiba and Jeremy Sebas because of knee problems, Ismael Doukoure is dealing with an ankle issue and Kevin Gameiro has a strain injury.
From matchday 19 to 20 in Ligue 1, Vieira made one change to his lineup, with Alaa Bellaarouch being the new starting goalkeeper following the departure of Matz Sels to Nottingham Forest.
Dilane Bakwa had their only goal last Friday in a losing effort versus PSG, while he, Emanuel Emegha and Marvin Senaya each scored in their 3-1 Coupe de France victory over Le Havre on Wednesday.
Lens possible starting lineup:
Samba; Gradit, Danso, Medina; Aguilar, Diouf, Thomasson, El Aynaoui; Costa; Wahi, Sotoca
Strasbourg possible starting lineup:
Bellaarouch; Senaya, Perrin, Sylla, Guilbert; Bakwa, Deminguet, Sissoko, Angelo; Diarra, Sahi
We say: Lens 1-0 Strasbourg
Having a full week to rest should give Lens an advantage over Strasbourg, who featured in a midweek affair in the last 16 of the Coupe de France.
Given how well-organised Lens have been and Le Racing's frequent habit of giving goals away, we expect a narrow but comfortable triumph for Les Sang et Or.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
