This Sunday’s Coupe de France features an all-Ligue 1 clash between Lens and Monaco at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis with both teams battling it out for a place in the quarter-finals of this season’s domestic cup competition.
Lens’ recent three-match winning streak in all competitions which included wins against Lille (in the last round of the cup on penalties) along with wins over Rennes and St Etienne in Ligue 1 was brought to an end by Marseille last weekend with a 2-0 loss on home soil.
👣 Stepping up our preparations for the Coupe de France! pic.twitter.com/AGAKH0DBb6— AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) January 27, 2022
👣 Stepping up our preparations for the Coupe de France! pic.twitter.com/AGAKH0DBb6
Lens have reached the round of last 16 in this season’s Coupe de France following wins in the previous rounds against Stade Poitevin and the aforementioned win against Lille on penalties but having won just four of their last 11 matches overall, the prospects of a straight home win here in this cup-tie appears to hang in the balance.
Results at home though in Ligue 1 have been encouraging as Lens have lost just two of their last 12 matches, while goals have been a bit on the low side as six of Lens’ 11 home games have resulted in under 2.5 goals.
Monaco also tasted defeat last time out in the French top flight last weekend when they were handed a 3-2 defeat away from home at Montpellier which put a stop to a previously encouraging five-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
Monaco had previously also won four of these preceding five games with victories collected against Rennes and Clermont in Ligue 1 along with victories in the earlier rounds of this season’s Coupe de France with wins against Red Star and Quevilly Rouen.
Indeed, form seems to favour Monaco in recent times as the visitors have suffered just the two losses in their last 15 matches in all competitions but form away from home in Ligue 1 has been disappointing by comparison.
Monaco have won just one of their last seven away games in the French top flight while goals haven’t always been flowing as six of Monaco’s 11 away games to date have resulted in under 2.5 goals.
Three of the last five meetings between Lens and Monaco have resulted in under 2.5 goals while Monaco have lost just twice in the last 14 encounters.