RC Lens is 90 minutes away from a great feat. No, we’re not talking about C1 and the round of 16 of the Big Ears Cup. This giant dream, long touched upon, is now a thing of the past since the slap received on November 29 in London against the Arsenal Gunners (6-0). As a reminder, and even if it is painful, Mikel Arteta’s men only needed a quarter of an hour to bury this crazy hope, and take their revenge on the first leg (2-1).
Suddenly, Franck Haise wanted to play down this setback. Rightly, he recalled how his team was required to make “shots” to exist at this level, which by definition can only be occasional. This Tuesday, from 6:45 p.m. (Canal +, RMC Sport), we will have to complete one last one in this group B. To protect 3rd place and see the round of 16 of the Europa League (February 15-22), defeat prohibited against at Sevilla FC. Everything but a formality, even worn by a Bollaert on the big nights, sold out for the 36th time in a row.
Big advantage Seville in terms of experience
The Andalusians may be staggering this season, sixteenth in the Liga, again defeated on Saturday in Mallorca (1-0) and last in the group with two points and ten goals conceded. They nonetheless remain a reference on the European scene, accustomed to transcending themselves for these matches under pressure. It is not for nothing that they have won seven Europa Leagues in less than twenty years.
“They are going through a difficult time but what interests me is my players. Let us take this match head on and play it with all our energy and confidence, even if everything is not perfect, with this series of ten games without defeat,” declared Franck Haise this Monday. Positive, the one who was voted best coach in Ligue 1 by his peers last year did not want to add to his men after the lucky 0-0 obtained on Friday in Montpellier. But no nonsense either, he particularly strongly regretted the travel ban on Sevillian supporters by the Ministry of the Interior.
“The people who come from Spain have organized not a trip but a trip, and they are told no at the last moment… But how are we going to do for the Olympic Games if we cannot accommodate 300 Sevillians? There is still a real problem. »
“If we are not a team in management, we know how to be pragmatic when necessary”
For the French coach, this final is in no way a “consolation prize”. “We must never forget where we come from. Continuing a European Cup in 2024 is a great chance to live to the fullest. » One of the challenges will be to not let ourselves be trapped by the grocer’s calculations. Even if a small point, like the one obtained in the first leg in Spain (1-1) at the start of the campaign, is enough, the French vice-champions promise to “play this match to win it, as we do every times. The finals are in May. If we are not a team in management, we know how to be pragmatic when necessary. »
Keeping score is never easy, especially when you lack certainty in your game, especially with the ball at your feet. To take shelter, the Sang et Or are therefore hoping for an Elye Wahi on good days. Very irregular since his arrival this summer in Pas-de-Calais, especially in the championship, the International Espoirs wants to bet on the Champions League (2 goals, 1 assist) to relaunch and prove to the public and to his coach that he is the striker and number nine capable of keeping RC Lens on the European scene.
Group B ranking after 5 days
1. Arsenal, 12 points
2. PSV Eindhoven, 8 pts.
3. Lens ; 5 pts.
4. Sevilla FC, 2pts.
In the event of a tie on points, the results of direct confrontations act as arbiter.
