Lyon vs Lens Prediction: Team News and Lineups Preview

Next from Ligue 1 is a Lyon vs Lens prediction, team news, lineups and fixtures preview ahead of the weekend’s fixture.

French expert Steve Wyss delves deep into the prime time Sunday Ligue 1 match as a resurgent Lyon host Lens. For most of the season Les Gones have been in relegation trouble but they should fancy their chances against a Lens side licking their wounds after a recent Europa League exit.

Our Lyon vs Lens prediction is for Lens to win the match 1-3.

Lyon vs Lens Prediction, Team News, Lineups and Fixtures Preview

1. Lyon vs Lens Tip 1: Lens 0.0 Asian Handicap
2. Lyon vs Lens Tip 2: Lens Over 1.5 Goals
3. Lyon vs Lens Tip 3: Over 1 Asian Goals First Half

In this article:

• Lyon vs Lens Team News and Possible Lineups
• The Lyon vs Lens, Ligue 1 Standings Prediction
• Lyon vs Lens Match Stats
• Lyon Fixtures
• Lens Fixtures
• Safer Gambling

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Lyon vs Lens Tip 1: Visitors can show their class to bounce back

France, Ligue 1, Sunday 3rd March, 19:45 (UK)

Lyon are on their best Ligue 1 run of the season, racking up four league wins in a row. This might be a bad spot for them, though, for a few reasons. They play this match after a midweek Coupe de France quarter-final vs Strasbourg, and there could be all sorts of distractions, whatever the result of that encounter. Lyon have worked themselves into such a good position now that they can relax in Ligue 1 and they might become one of the first sides ‘on the beach.’

Lens are totally licking their wounds after a couple of brutal results in the last week or so. They were seconds away from beating Freiburg in the Europa League but conceded late and then lost in extra time. They also connected a late goal vs Monaco at the weekend to somehow end up on the wrong end of a 2-3 result. Lens is a resilient team, though, and is strongly in the hunt for a top-six finish.

They can bounce back here and show their true qualities. Deep down, they are a better team than Lyon, and they might be able to surprise a few people with a strong performance here. Taking the visitors on a 0.0 Asian Handicap with full draw cover makes for decent appeal.

• Lyon vs Lens Tip 1: Lens 0,0 Asian Handicap (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 2.10
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 9/10

Lyon vs Lens Tip 2: Lens to finally convert their chances

Actual results on the field don’t exactly support this bet, but this could be the match where the Lens attack finally has some joy. Lens have scored two goals in nine out of 23 games this season, which isn’t terrible, but they’d have hoped for more. The main problem has been converting chances. Lens have the second-best xG in Ligue 1 (40.78) but only scored 30 times.

The away team haven’t been able to cope with the loss of Lois Openda, but clearly, this team does create chances. There isn’t a standout player to blame for this, and collectively, as a team, they just haven’t been sharp enough. I just feel like they are the type of team that can revert those metrics back to the mean before the end of the season.

Lyon are an improved team and kept two consecutive clean sheets at home. However, they are far from secure, and Lens will fancy their chances of getting at this defence. Metz caused them problems last week, and Lyon has been indebted to their goalkeeper, Anthony Lopes, for making some key saves recently. Nice should have at least scored vs Lyon the last time they played at home and I expect Lens to be fired up here. They will want to prove a point, and there is a chance that Lyon are flat or even overconfident after the midweek cup and recent good run. We know that Lens will get chances, so I will pay to find out if they can convert. The odds of 2.50 are very juicy for the away side just to net twice at Groupama Stadium.

• Lyon vs Lens Tip 2: Lens Over 1.5 Goals (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 2.50
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 10/10

Lyon vs Lens Tip 3: First half goal line has some appeal

I don’t think that this is going to be a tentative clash. It’s a prime-time Sunday match in Ligue 1, and both teams will want to put on a show. Lyon are not in a nervous league position anymore, so they can play with a bit more freedom and less pressure.

There have been times in the last few months when they have had to grind down and lock in a low-scoring victory, but I feel like those dangerous days have now passed. The atmosphere is much better around the club, and Lyon will try to come out of the traps quickly. In my opinion, there’s a good chance of at least one first-half goal here.

The last six Lyon games in Ligue 1 have all contained at least one goal, and five of the last six Lens games have resulted the same way. The dynamics of the game should logically lead towards a relatively open first half, and the tactical style of both coaches is to be quite positive. With a first-half Asian goal line of 1, then, there will be a full push if either team is ahead 1-0 at the interval. The only way this bet can lose is if it remains 0-0. It’s a fairly decent percentage bet in what is not the easiest of games to predict.

• Lyon vs Lens Tip 3: Over 1 Asian Goal First Half (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.97
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 7/10

Lyon vs Lens Prediction odds via bet365 as at 10:00, February 26th, 2024. Odds may now differ.

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Lyon vs Lens Team News and Possible Lineups: Tagliafico back from suspension

Lyon fullback Nicolas Tagliafico returns from suspension and might come back into starting contention. Lyon are without Corentin Tolisso who is injured. Ecuadorian defender Jhoanner Chavez is doubtful for Lens. Jimmy Cabot and Devier Machado are ruled out for the visitors long term.

Lyon possible starting lineup:
Lopes, Maitland-Niles, Caleta-Car, O’Brien, Clinton Mata, Mangala, Matic, Caqueret, Orban, Lacazette, Nuamah

Lens possible starting lineup:
Samba, Medina, Danso, Gradit, Frankowski, Mendy, Diouf, Aguilar, Costa, Thomasson, Wahi

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The Predicted Lyon vs Lens Ligue 1 Standings by BETSiE

Our in-house predictive model, BETSiE, has had a go at predicting the Ligue 1 standings ahead of the Lyon vs Lens, currently 10th vs 6th, fixture by utilising the underlying data from the 2023/24 season up until this point.

For more league-specific BETSiE content including standings, probabilities and predictions, visit her page here – it’s worth it.

Lyon vs Lens Standings Prediction

Position	Club	Games	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Paris SG	34	22.6	8.1	3.4	79.0	32.6	46.4	75.8
2	Brest	34	17.7	9.7	6.6	51.3	28.6	22.7	62.8
3	Monaco	34	16.8	7.7	9.6	60.9	48.2	12.7	57.9
4	Nice	34	16.0	9.8	8.2	37.6	26.8	10.8	57.7
5	Lille	34	15.0	10.8	8.1	49.0	31.9	17.1	55.9
6	Lens	34	15.0	8.5	10.5	48.5	38.7	9.8	53.6
7	Marseille	34	13.6	11.7	8.7	50.8	36.1	14.7	52.6
8	Rennes	34	13.3	10.9	9.9	49.5	40.7	8.8	50.6
9	Reims	34	14.1	6.7	13.2	44.9	46.2	-1.2	49.1
10	Lyon	34	11.9	6.6	15.5	40.8	52.2	-11.4	42.4
11	Toulouse	34	9.6	10.7	13.7	38.7	47.5	-8.8	39.4
12	Montpellier	34	9.3	10.6	14.1	41.3	46.9	-5.6	38.5
13	Strasbourg	34	9.5	9.9	14.6	35.7	50.0	-14.4	38.4
14	Nantes	34	10.2	6.7	17.1	35.2	50.4	-15.2	37.3
15	Le Havre	34	8.2	11.6	14.2	36.6	47.7	-11.0	36.1
16	Lorient	34	7.3	9.5	17.3	41.5	63.8	-22.3	31.3
17	Clermont	34	5.8	10.5	17.7	28.6	55.8	-27.2	28.0
18	Metz	34	6.3	7.8	19.9	28.5	54.4	-25.9	26.7

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Match Stats: Lens underachieving in front of goal

• Lyon have won their last four consecutive Ligue 1 games which is their best run of the season.
• Lens away fixtures only average 1.90 goals per game.
• The home side has won 5 of the last 7 head to head meetings.
• Lens have an xG underachievement of 10.78 and have struggled to convert their chances.

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Lyon Fixtures: Double road trip up next

• Vs Lorient (A)
• Vs Toulouse (A)
• Vs Reims (H)
• Vs Nantes (A)
• Vs Brest (H)

Lens Fixtures: Mixed bag of fixtures await

• Vs Brest (H)
• Vs Nice (H)
• Vs Lille (A)
• Vs Le Havre (H)
• Vs Metz (A)

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SAFER GAMBLING

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