Conference League Preview: Lens Welcomes Panathinaikos

RC Lens will be vying to play a European competition for a second straight season when they face Panathinaikos FC in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off on Thursday at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

Lens played in the UEFA Champions League last season, finishing in third place, and then proceeded to play in the UEFA Europa League play-off, losing 3-2 on aggregate to SC Freiburg. The loss ended their run, but under new manager Will Still, Lens have another opportunity to play in a European competition this season.

Still and his squad won their first Ligue 1 match of the 2024-25 season as Lens manager with a 1-0 victory over Angers SCO last Sunday, with Wesley Saïd scoring the lone goal. Les Sang et Or head into this matchup against the Greek side riding positive momentum, and they'll be at home.

Panathinaikos began their 2024-25 season playing in the Europa League second qualifying round. Diego Alonso and his team defeated Hungarian club Botev Plovdiv to advance to the third qualifying round, where they'd face Ajax.

The Athens-based club would draw 1-1 on aggregate and lose the matchup on a penalty kick shootout 13-12 as Ajax would move on and Panathinaikos dropped into the Conference League.

Panathinaikos are also coming off losing their first match of the 2024-25 Super League Greece season, a 1-0 defeat to Asteras Tripolis FC. The Greens will look to bounce back after being eliminated from the Europa League and their Matchday 1 loss.

One Panathinaikos player familiar with playing against Ligue 1 teams is Brazilian standout Tetê, who spent the 2022-23 season on loan to Olympique Lyonnais. The 24-year-old made 30 total appearances while scoring eight goals and registering 10 assists.

Lens lost Elye Wahi this summer, and he scored two goals during the Champions League group stage, and one goal in the Europa League play-off last season. This matchup against the Greek side will be a significant test to see which player rises to the occasion and scores in critical moments.

READ MORE:

>>Season Preview #5: RC Lens
>>UCL: David, Zhegrova power Lille in first leg