Lille vs Lens

Two teams with aspirations of securing European football next season will go head-to-head in Ligue 1 this Sunday evening as Lille welcome Lens in the highly anticipated Derby du Nord.

Lille currently hold sixth place in the league standings, while Lens sit five points behind them in eighth, making this a crucial encounter in the race for European qualification.

March has been a challenging month for Lille, who suffered a Champions League exit at the hands of Borussia Dortmund and endured league defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Nantes. Their only bright spot this month came with a narrow 1-0 victory over bottom-placed Montpellier on March 8.

Despite recent setbacks, Lille have the chance to regain momentum with a derby win, especially against a direct rival like Lens. With eight matches remaining, they remain firmly in contention for a return to Europe's elite competition after experiencing Champions League football this season.

While PSG have built an unassailable 19-point lead at the top, the battle for the remaining European spots remains wide open. Just six points separate second-placed Marseille from seventh-placed Strasbourg, making every match crucial in the run-in.

Although Lille’s recent defeats have dented their Champions League ambitions, they will take confidence from their strong home form. The hosts have lost just twice at home in the league this season, winning seven of their last ten matches in front of their fans.

However, Lens pose a serious challenge, having been one of the best-performing teams away from home this season. They have collected 22 of their 39 points on the road, making them a formidable opponent.

After participating in the Champions League last season, Lens' European hopes took an early blow this year when they were eliminated by Panathinaikos in the Conference League qualification playoff back in August.

A defeat on Sunday would leave them with an uphill battle to secure European football next season, as Lille would extend their lead to eight points. On the other hand, a victory for Lens would close the gap to just two points, injecting fresh energy into their campaign.

With so much at stake, this Northern France derby promises to be a thrilling showdown.

Lille and Lens owe their strong league positions to their solid defenses, with Lille boasting the second-best defensive record in the division—conceding just 28 goals in 26 matches.

Close behind are Lens, who have let in only one more goal than Lille over the same number of games this season under Will Still’s leadership.

After a concerning four-match losing streak between February 8 and March 1, Lens regained momentum with back-to-back victories. They edged past Marseille 1-0 away before securing another narrow 1-0 win against Rennes, heading into the international break on a positive note.

This weekend, Lens will be out for revenge after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Lille in their last encounter in October. Jonathan David and Mohamed Bayo sealed the win with two dramatic stoppage-time goals, capping off a thrilling finish