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Saturday Preview: European ambitions and more

With AS Monaco having lost yesterday, there's a real chance for the trio of LOSC Lille, OGC Nice and RC Lens to move up the Ligue 1 McDonald's table as they race for Europe -- read on for our preview of the day's action.
E. DEVIN
Published on 02/08/2025 at 12:00
2-minute read
Will Still's Lens face Nice in the first of three Ligue 1 McDonald's matches today.

OGC Nice vs RC Lens

This matchup will see Franck Haise take on his former side, RC Lens, at the Allianz Riviera. Despite a difficult campaign in Europe and a shock elimination in the Coupe de France this week, the manager has guided his side well in the race for the top six, despite injuries that have kept out the likes of Terem Moffi and Morgan Sanson all season. For this match, Nice are playing with close to a full deck, though, and the likes of in-form Evann Guessand (nine goals, fifth in the league) will be a strong challenge for Will Still's visitors.

Lens have won three of four matches, the only exception a loss to Paris Saint-Germain, and despite the departures of key players like Brice Samba and Kevin Danso, will be eager to get a result where a win could see them finish the weekend as high as fourth. The absence of goalkeeper Mathew Ryan through injury is less than ideal, but Le Sang et Or should be more than ready to make this an entertaining affair.

LOSC Lille vs AC Le Havre  

Like Nice, Lille were stunned by their exit from the Coupe de France at the hands of a lower tier side, USL Dunkerque, but will be eager to rebound here, with a win allowing them to leapfrog Monaco into third place ahead of the Principality side's Champions League tie. Injuries are still a concern for the hosts (Edon Zhegrova will miss out here along with the team's long-term absentees), but they should have enough about them to get past the league's bottom side, Le Havre having scored just 15 goals to date in the league and dealing with several key absences themselves.

AS Saint-Étienne vs Stade Rennais

Habib Beye, the Bretons' third manager of the season, got a vital win against RC Strasbourg last weekend and will hope to do the same here, taking his revamped squad on the road to face relegation rivals Sainté. The likes of Kazeem Olaigbe, Séko Fofana, Lilian Brassier and Brice Samba are all expected to be in the eleven for the visitors as they look to pull clear of the drop zone.

Sainté have also been busy in the mercato, though, as the ten-times champions look to extend their spell in the top flight. With a win enough to bring them out of the bottom three at the visitors' expense, Eirik Horneland will be eager to call on Irvin Cardona in attack, while fellow new signing Maxime Bernauer is a doubt through injury. 

Read more:

>> Habib Beye: Meet Rennes' new coach

>> Who is Eirik Horneland: A deeper dive on Sainté's manager

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