Top-tier football in France returns after the international break with quite an interesting clash. Lille and Lens are both in the top 6 of Ligue 1 and the distance between them sits just at 1 point before this game. The Derby du Nord promises to be a cracker as much is at stake here for either team in their quest to secure Champions League football next season.
Lille OSC Team News
Lille find themselves above Lens in the current standing, albeit with just a point more. The team is performing well lately and is unbeaten in their last 5 competitive games. However, a concern could be in the air as in the last 3 games Lille only reached a draw. On the brighter side, The Mastiffs have scored in all of the above-mentioned 5 competitive games and the last time they failed to score a goal was back in January during their 0-0 away draw to Montpellier. When it comes to conceding goals, in 3 of the last 5 competitive games the team has seen a goal scored against them. More worryingly is the fact that these three times were their last 3 fixtures.
RC Lens Team News
While Lille will enter this game on the back of a league win, Lens will come to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy after a loss to Nice before the international break. The club football pause could be a blessing in disguise for the team as they will need a fresh approach for the Derby du Nord. The main reason is that Lens does not fare well when playing against teams that sit higher in the standing than them as they have lost 7 such games this season. Much like Lille, Lens have also managed to score in all of their last 5 competitive games and managed to keep 2 clean sheets in the process.
Head-to-Head-Games
Head-to-head statistics show us that The Derby du Nord has been a tightly contested affair in recent years. In the last 4 league derbies, both Lille and Lens have a win each with the other 2 fixtures ending in a draw. Only 1 of those 4 games saw over 2.5 goals, but on the other hand, 3 saw both teams netting a goal.
Lille OSC – RC Lens Betting Prediction
The head-to-head stats are a clear indicator that this is going to be a tough game for both sides. Lille are favourites here mainly due to the home advantage and better recent form. However, the distance between them and Lens is just one point and the race for Champions League spots in the Ligue 1 is heating up. Both teams have displayed that they have an eye for the goal, but at the same time, they have also shown cracks in their defence. Despite the home advantage for Lille, Lens’ last victory over The Mastiffs was here at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. For this game, I will go with both teams to score market. It is logical to me – both teams share similar profiles in terms of their recent scoring and conceding and the fact that this is a derby can mix things up even more. Moreover, both will be looking for the points here, which can only be done by scoring goals.
Betting Tip: Both Teams To Score: Yes
Bookmaker: Sportsbet.io
Odds: 1.83
Sportsbet.io
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