Lille v Lens preview: Ancelotti’s side defend Derby du Nord dominance as in-form Lens visit
Lille v Lens brings the Derby du Nord to Stade Pierre-Mauroy at 8.05pm UK, with third-placed Lille facing a Lens side chasing a fourth straight league win.
Lille v Lens is the pick of Friday night in Ligue 1, as third-placed Lille host a Lens side chasing a fourth straight league win in the Derby du Nord at 8.05pm UK time.
Main photo: Liondartois / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Only two points and four places separate the neighbours. Lille sit third on 15 points; Lens are seventh on 13, and both clubs are unbeaten in their last three league games.
Jérôme Brisard referees at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, where kick-off is 9.05pm local time.
Lille v Lens: the key numbers
| Lille | Lens | |
|---|---|---|
| League position | 3rd | 7th |
| Points | 15 | 13 |
| Goal difference | +5 | +4 |
| Last league game | Monaco 1-1 Lille | Lens 2-1 Paris FC |
| All-time derby wins | 48 | 38 (36 draws) |
Lille’s home grip on the derby
History is firmly with the hosts. Lille have won ten of their last 11 home league meetings with Lens, scoring in every one of them, and Lens have not won at Pierre-Mauroy since the 2021-22 season.
The last visit ended 3-0 to Lille in April. It was the only time in their last 16 away league games that Lens failed to score.
Davide Ancelotti, in his first season since replacing Bruno Genesio, has made a strong start. Lille have lost just one of their opening eight league games, something the club say they have managed only once in the last ten seasons: in 2020-21, when they won the title. They have also spent 372 minutes in front, more than any other Ligue 1 side.
Lille have done it despite interest in their young talent, with teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi the subject of a big-money summer agreement covered by our sister site DGBN in Manchester City’s £86m deal for Bouaddi.
Lens on a roll under Cahuzac
Yannick Cahuzac takes charge of his first derby as head coach, having played in five of them. His side came from behind to beat Paris FC 2-1 last weekend for a third straight league win, their best run since last winter.
Set pieces are a weapon: seven of Lens’ 16 league goals have come from dead balls. Cahuzac said he expected a hard-fought game against “a fine opponent who are in the top three”, but insisted his players would focus on themselves.
Team news
Lens are without striker Odsonne Édouard, who had minor surgery this week and will miss a few weeks. Defenders Maik Nawrocki, Ismaëlo Ganiou and Jonathan Gradit are also injured, stretching Cahuzac’s back line.
Lille are missing forwards Ayase Ueda and Hamza Igamane. Ethan Mbappé, with two goals and an assist this season, is set to play a part. His brother Kylian has had his own fitness worries, as we reported when Mbappé left the France camp with a knee tendon injury.
A big night for French football
The derby closes a busy Friday that starts with leaders Paris Saint-Germain at the bottom club; read our Le Havre v PSG preview for the team news from Normandy.
Several of the players on show will also have one eye on the national team picture, which we set out in our France v Italy preview under Zinedine Zidane.
Win, and Lens leapfrog their rivals. Lose, and Lille open a five-point gap over their neighbours.
