The Racing Club de Lens welcomes Arsenal for a gala match counting for the 2nd day of the Champions League group stage, this Tuesday (9 p.m.). Here is the expected lineup for the Sang et Or.
After a delay in starting, the Racing Club de Lens is finally back on track. The Artesian club remains on three consecutive matches without defeat, including two victories in Ligue 1 against Toulouse (2-1) then Strasbourg (1-0). A series that began two weeks ago in the Champions League, during a founding evening in Seville, against one of the ogres of its group (1-1). Can the most prestigious competition be beneficial for the Sang et Or?
Franck Haise responded in his own way before this clash against Arsenal, top seed in the group. “Obviously it’s a big challenge, due to the experience and the quality of this team, the past, the present. It’s obviously a big challenge. Now, we also met teams from a different category, even if it wasn’t in the Champions League, notably Paris and we managed to get a result. We are not going to compare ourselves to Arsenal, but we must play these matches with a lot of character, as we did in Seville and even if the start was complicated. We played this match with a lot of character, on our principles, commitment, our desire to impose certain things too. We want to build our moment, that’s the most important thing. »
To achieve a perfect copy, the Lens coach will have a still well-stocked group, despite the absences of Haïdara, Pereira Da Costa and Cabot. Franck Haise could thus choose to renew exactly the same eleven as in Seville, but some uncertainties remain. Wahi is expected to take the lead after unlocking his counter, while Sotoca should continue. The surprise concerns Thomasson, preferred to Fulgini. Frankowski and Machado are also expected, in an environment where Abdul Samed is in balance with Diouf alongside Mendy. Gradit, Danso and Medina will still form the three-way defense of Lensois in front of Samba, unless the technician changes the animation for this gala evening…
The expected composition for Lens : Samba – Gradit, Danso, Medina – Frankowski, Abdul Samed, Mendy, Machado – Sotoca, Thomasson – Wahi.
