With their last Ligue 1 appearance dating back to 2014-15, Lens will be looking to kick off their return against side Nice. Their first top-flight away trip schedules for Sunday afternoon with kickoff at 2 pm.
Before the season curtailment due to coronavirus fears, Lens managed to finish second in Ligue 2. At the same time, Nice managed to secure a slot in the Europa League after finishing fifth before the lockdown.
It was an impressive 2019-20 season for Nice managing to register eleven wins, eight draws and nine defeats. The side accrued 41 points from their last 28 games before the season curtailment in Ligue 1.
Manager Patrick Vierra managed to finish fifth, eight points behind fourth-placed Lille, and one point shy off Monaco. Les Aiglons had a flawless start in 2020 managing to pick up eight points from the four Ligue 1 matches before the lockdown.
Lens earned a slot in French top tier clubs after finishing second in the table. Frank Haise’s side managed to secure 15 of their 28 games with eight draws and five defeats. After five years in Ligue 2, the coronavirus came as a blessing in disguise.
Lens has registered three wins in their preseason friendlies building to the start of the season. Their last visit to the home side ended in a 2-1 draw in 2015.
Nice vs. Lens Head to Head
Both sides have 11 games against each other with Lens taking four wins while Nice with two wins. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
Nice 3-2 Rennes
RB Salzburg 4-1 Nice
DAC Dunajska Streda 0-6 Nice
Standard Liege 1-2 Nice
Nice 0-2 Rangers
Away
RC Lens 1-0 Dijon
RC Lens 1-2 Paris FC
Lens 1-3 Union Saint-Gilloise
KRC Genk 1-1 Lens
Nice Team News
Nice has been busy during the summer transfer window managing to secure the signing of Amine Gouiri, Robson Bambu, Jordan Lotomba, Ronny Lopes, and Hassane Kamara. Former Everton midfielder Everton Schneirdlin also made a move to the side. The side will be without the services of Mangala Sarr and Arnaud Lusumba after leaving on free transfers.
Lens Team News
Chelsea youngster Gael Kakuta also expected to feature in the starting X1 while arriving from Amiens on loan. Other new arrivals include Seko Fofana, Corentin Jean, Facundo Medina, and Ignatius Ganado.
Prediction and Odds
Lens will be looking to make a statement after their comeback to top-flight, but face a strong opponent with a bolstered defense.
Nice Wins
Goals Under 2.5
Dolberg to Score
