Lens were promoted back to Ligue 1 despite the campaign being cut short. In the end, despite only occupying 2nd-place by a single point with 10-matches still left to play, Lens were gifted promotion along with Lorient. Lens’ promotion saw them return to the top-flight after 5-seasons in Ligue 2.
About the Club
Name: Le Racing Club de Lens. Nickname: Blood and Gold
Founded: 1906
Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Capacity: 38,223
Manager: Frank Haise. As a player, Haise had an average career. Ligue 2 was the highest level the midfielder played at and that was only for one season, his last, and he only made two appearances. Haise moved into management in 2003 with Mayenne but after 3-years he took a break from the game. In 2012 he returned as manager of Change and then took over the Lorient B Team job. In 2015-2016 he was joint and then caretaker manager of the Lorient first-team but left the club shortly after. From 2017/2020, Haise was in charge of the Lens B Team and got the top job in 2020, guiding the team to promotion with a little help from the authorities.
Key Players: Jean-Louis Leca, Facundo Medina, Jonathan Gradit, Gael Kakuta, Cheick Doucoure, and Ignatius Ganago. The on-loan Gael Kakuta, formerly of Chelsea, and striker Ignatius Ganago will most likely take the plaudits for Lens’ good start to the season as both men have chipped in with 4-goals in 6 league games. However, goalkeeper Leca and defenders Medina and Gradit have forged a solid base to the team, while Doucoure provides the engine in midfield.
History
Lens claimed their one and only Ligue 1 title in 1998 but have finished s runners-up on four occasions between 1955-2002. The club have never won the Coupe de France despite appearing in three finals, 1948, 1975, and 1998. However, Lens have won the Coupe de la Ligue on two separate occasions, 1994 and 1999, and lost the final in 2008. On the European stage, RC Lens claimed the now extinct UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2005 and again in 2007, but their best achievement was reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup in 2000. Lens have also won the Coupe Drago and the Coupe Gambardella on three occasions between 1957-1992.
As Things Stand
RC Lens don’t look in any danger of being dragged into a relegation battle, if their opening 9-matches of the season are anything to go by. Despite playing one or two games fewer than the majority of the teams in Logue 1, Lens occupy 9th position in the table and are only 3pts off the top three. If Lens were to win each of the two games in hand they have over most of the top seven, then the club would easily be sat in the top two, just a point behind the league leaders PSG.
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