After its magnificent comeback against Toulouse (3-2) then its qualification for the final of the Coupe de France at the expense of these same Violets (4-1), RC Lens ended up giving up. The Sang et Or of Pierre Sage only took one point in the lair of Stade Brestois (3-3), Friday evening at the opening of the 31st day of Ligue 1. Trailing 3-0 after 42 minutes of play, the Lensois produced a fantastic second period with the equalizer signed by Allan Saint-Maximin at the end of added time (90th+4).
With the success of the Parisians in Angers (0-3) on Saturday, the Northerners lost their footing in the title race with six points behind with four matches remaining (with a Lens-PSG certainly scheduled before the last day). The residents of Bollaert will be content to validate the podium synonymous with direct qualification for the next Champions League, with six points ahead for the moment over Losc and OL.
RC Lens at Bernabéu or Anfield?
Only 120th in the UEFA club rankings, RC Lens already knows that it will appear in pot 4 of the draw for the C1 league phase. This could offer Florian Thauvin and his teammates an extremely tough eight-game schedule. Bayern, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Inter, Manchester City, Arsenal and AtlĂ©tico will accompany PSG among the top seeds, knowing that the Ch’tis cannot of course fall on the formation of Luis Enrique.
The Lensois will then have to avoid the big pieces from hat 2, like Borussia Dortmund, Manchester United, Juventus or FC Porto, but also from the third pot. Losc and OL, the other clubs projected in the Champions League, would be placed in hat 3 (this will also be the case for OM). The Lensois could therefore draw AC Milan, Napoli, Leipzig, Villarreal or Galatasaray! We will have to perform well against the two “small” teams on the calendar in order to be part of the top 24.
