Two clubs looking to challenge for the top four in Ligue 1 meet at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Saturday, when Nice travel to Lens.

It will be an emotional fixture for Nice manager Franck Haise, who will return to the club where he enjoyed four excellent years, getting Lens into the Champions League after two decades away.

Match preview

Under the guidance of new manager Will Still, Lens can be enthused by the start they have made to the campaign, despite crashing out of Europe in qualifying.

After seven matches under Still, Lens' only defeat remains that tough night in Athens against Panathinaikos, where the Blood and Gold were eliminated from the Conference League at the final hurdle.

However, when qualifying for the Champions League two years ago, Lens also had no European distractions to contend with, so they will hope lightning can strike twice.

After five games, they look like challengers too, as Still's side currently sit fourth and remain unbeaten.

Two wins to start against Angers and Brest have been followed up by three straight draws with Monaco, Lyon and Rennes - three clubs who may also compete for Europe this season.

Lens have the best defensive record in the division so far, having conceded just two, and they are yet to let any in at home, making this a rather daunting away trip for Nice.

However, the visitors have a fantastic record here, being something of a bogey team for Lens, winning seven of their last nine league games against their upcoming opponents.

Another defeat for Lens would see them lose at home to the same team in three consecutive seasons for the first team since 2015, when Lyon managed that feat.

Nice could not possibly come into the game with any more confidence either, after a staggering victory over Saint Etienne last weekend.

Their 8-0 win on Friday is already a candidate for performance of the season, as Haise's men were six to the good before the interval.

Unsurprisingly, last week's huge win has raised Nice's goal tally to 14, which is their best after five games of a top-flight campaign since 1975.

Haise was the man who got Lens into the Champions League against the odds two years ago, and with the squad at his disposal here, there is nothing to suggest he cannot repeat the trick with Nice, given the strong mix of youth and experience in the side.

Nice now look on track to attack the campaign after a sluggish start saw them take just one point from their opening two games and lose to Marseille two weeks ago.

The visitors are just two points off the hosts entering the weekend, and sit seventh ahead of two massive weeks in their season.

Nice have already faced Real Sociedad, drawing 1-1 in their Europa League opener on Wednesday, and they will play Lazio and Paris Saint-Germain next week before the international break, after this trip to Lens.

Team News

Lens will remain without defender Kevin Danso, who is set to undergo minor heart surgery after a problem appeared on his medical which prevented him from completing a move to Roma last month.

Despite the serious issue at hand, Danso could return as early as next month, the same timeframe which has been placed on recoveries for both Jimmy Cabot (knee) and Martin Satriano (calf).

Fiorentina loanee M'Bala Nzola scored his first Lens goal off the bench to equalise six minutes into added time at Rennes, and could be rewarded with his first start for the club.

Jhoanner Chaves was not immediately available for Lens after returning from international duty with Ecuador, but he started in the draw at Rennes and should retain his place at left wing-back.

Haise picked largely the same side from the 8-0 thrashing of St Etienne for their Europa League clash with Real Sociedad in midweek.

The only changes saw Tom Louchet and Badredine Bouanani come in for Tanguy Ndombele and the injured Mohamed-Ali Cho.

Cho remains a doubt for this one along with Hichem Boudaoui, and Morgan Sanson should not be too far away from a return, but the likes of Terem Moffi, Gaetan Laborde and Jeremie Boga are all confirmed absentees.

Lens possible starting lineup:
Samba; Gradit, Khusanov, Medina; Frankowski, Thomasson, Diouf, Jhoanner Chaves; Zaroury, Sotoca, Nzola

Nice possible starting lineup:
Bulka; Ndayishimiye, Bombito, Dante; Clauss, Rosario, Ndombele, Bard; Bouanani, Guessand, Moukoko

We say: Lens 0-0 Nice

Lens' run of draws will not go on forever, but the likeliest outcome is a fourth-straight stalemate here, with little to separate the sides, and the hosts performing very impressively in defence of late.

Unfortunately for Nice, they cannot play Saint Etienne every week, and they will find it difficult to break down a side yet to concede a home goal this season.


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