Lens will continue their European campaign in the Europa League this week after finishing third in their Champions League group before Christmas. However, they will face an interesting challenge in the playoff round when they come up against Bundesliga side Freiburg.
Europa League Preview
It’s likely that there would have been a lot of disappointment at the way that Lens faltered in the Champions League before Christmas. They looked on course for a famous progression in the competition after winning twice in Group B, but they were eventually ousted by PSV in the second qualifying spot behind Arsenal. However, the Europa League provides them with a fine second chance of European glory this term.
Freiburg also finished second in their group before Christmas, as they finished three points behind West Ham in Group A. The German side won four of their six matches, and they were among the highest scorers in the competition after netting 17 times. However, the vast majority of their positive performances came in Germany, scoring ten goals across matches against Olympiacos and TSC.
Lens have a very solid record in major European competitions, as they have suffered just one defeat in their last 13 at home. Over that period, they have recorded nine wins and have played out three draws. They were also unbeaten in all three matches in the Champions League to have been played at home this season.
Freiburg have shared the goals around in their team so far in the Europa League this term, with only Bayer Leverkusen having seen more players find the net in the competition. Meanwhile, the German side has scored three or more goals in more matches than any other team in the Europa League.
Lens vs Freiburg Head to Head
This will be the first clash between Lens and Freiburg in a competitive fixture. Lens have a very impressive record against German opposition, losing just once in their last six across all major European competitions. Meanwhile, Freiburg have won each of their two matches against French opposition in Europe.
Lens vs Freiburg Prediction
Both of these sides make very interesting cases ahead of this first leg, and it could be a fixture that goes either way. However, it could be worth siding with Lens, as they have an excellent home record across all European competitions.
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