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Sunday sees Lens take on Bordeaux in a Ligue 1 game at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.
Lens are currently 9th in the league table, while Bordeaux are mired in a relegation battle down in 19th.
So can Bordeaux give themselves some valuable points, or will Lens condemn them to more trouble?
After a flying start that saw them reach as high as second place in the Ligue 1 table, Lens’ form has tailed off in recent weeks.
They’ve now won just two of their last ten matches, putting them on their worst run in some time, and have lost their last two games to Marseille and Lorient.
Lens will still have hopes of climbing back up the table, but they’ll need to get back to the kind of form that saw them beat Rennes, Lille and Monaco if they wish to do so.
Bordeaux, meanwhile, are struggling badly near the foot of the table. They did pick up a 4-3 win over Strasbourg on January 23, but it was their first victory since mid-December and only their fourth of the season overall.
Last week saw them reportedly dispense off boss Vladimir Petkovic. At the time of writing, they have not appointed a replacement, despite former Reims boss David Guion being linked with the vacancy.
Whoever takes over the hot seat will need to sort Bordeaux’s defense out if they are to survive. They’ve conceded an appalling 58 goals this season – 14 more than the league’s next-worst defense.
Lens vs Bordeaux Head-to-Head
There have been a total of 63 matches played between the two sides. Bordeaux have won 27 while Lens have won 19 of them. There have been 17 stalemates between the two teams in the past.
The last time these sides faced off saw an entertaining win for Lens. They ran out 2-3 winners thanks to an injury time winner from Florian Sotoca.
Lens form guide: L-L-L-W-W
Bordeaux form guide: L-W-L-L-L
Lens vs Bordeaux Team News
Lens
Yannick Cahuzac is suspended following his red card against Lorient, while two other players look likely to miss out.
Injured: Wesley Said, Jonathan Gradit
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Yannick Cahuzac
Bordeaux
Bordeaux have three players sidelined with injuries, while Danylo Ignatenko is suspended.
Injured: Benoit Costil, Amadou Traore, Jimmy Briand
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Danylo Ignatenko
Lens vs Bordeaux Predicted XI
Lens predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Jean-Louis Leca, Christopher Wooh, Kevin Danso, Facundo Medina; Jonathan Clauss, Cheick Doucoure, Seko Fofana, Przemyslaw Frankowski; Gael Kakuta; Florian Sotoca, Arnaud Kalimuendo
Bordeaux predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Gaetan Poussin, Enock Kwateng, Abdel Medioub, Anel Ahmedhodzic, Gideon Mensah; Joshua Guilavogui, Fransergio; Alberth Elis, Yacine Adli, Remi Oudin; Hwang Ui-Jo
Lens vs Bordeaux Prediction
Lens have not been on their best form recently, but this one should still be a winnable game for them.
Bordeaux are currently managerless, and they also cannot seem to keep the goals from going in, meaning their confidence is likely rock bottom right now.
So the prediction is a comfortable home win.
Prediction: Lens 2-0 Bordeaux
