Lens v Freiburg

Lens vs Freiburg Preview

Lens registered a third win on the trot in all competitions in the French top flight on the weekend with a 3-1 home win against Strasbourg in Ligue 1 and the hosts will be looking for more of the same when they play host to German side Freiburg in this 1st leg tie at their Stade Bollaert-Delelis, while Freiburg slumped to a third loss on the trot in all competitions on the weekend following a heavy 3-0 defeat away from home at Borussia Dortmund.

Lens had previously posted impressive wins against Toulouse and Nantes in the domestic top flight and although the hosts have dropped out of the elite European competition of the Champions League as they finished in third place in Group B, only a single point separated Franck Haise's side from the runners-up, PSV.

During the group stage in the Champions League, Lens had recorded home wins against Arsenal and Sevilla which will give the French side confidence that they can gain the upper hand over Freiburg on Thursday night and the home side will also be encouraged by previous results gained at Europa League level.

Lens have lost just two of their previous 15 home ties in this competition along with picking up 11 wins in the process, so the hosts look in good shape here.

Freiburg know they must turn their fortunes around and quick if they are to have any chance of progressing through to the quarter-finals of this season's Europa League as the visitors head into Thursday night's clash at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on the back of three defeats on the trot.

Losses to Werder Bremen, Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund in the domestic Bundesliga have been bad enough but another defeat in France on Thursday night would really increase the pressure upon Christian Streich's side for the return leg back on home soil.

The German visitors had previously finished runners-up in Group A three points behind the group winners and Premier League side West Ham thanks to winning four out of their six group games by virtue of victories home and away against Olympiakos and Baka Topola respectively.

However, Freiburg have only plied their trade as high as the Europa League in previous forays into Europe and the visitors may struggle to keep Lens quiet in this upcoming tussle at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis, especially as the German outfit have stumbled to three defeats in recent weeks.

Lens v Freiburg Verdict

Previous involvement in this season's Champions League is expected to serve Lens well ahead of this two-legged affair against Freiburg and although the French hosts have dropped down a level to the Europa League, their experience in the elite competition will be invaluable to Franck Haise's side.

Therefore, our main bet will be Lens win @ 1.75

Other side bets worth considering:

Lens win & Over 2.5 goals @ 2.75

Correct Score: Lens 2-1 @ 8.50