Football Season Guide

Lens are back in Ligue 1 after a painful wait of five years and will be determined to make their stay a lengthy one. Although it was Philippe Montanier who led them for much of the season, after a poor start to 2020, he was replaced by Franck Haise, who will take charge this term. Haise, however, has precious little experience in terms of first-team coaching; this will be his first top job and he has only overseen two competitive fixtures, although both of those ended in victories. Traditionally, Lens are well supported and it may be that they are one of the teams that suffer most at the start of the season when fan numbers are restricted. Lens have retained the squad that won promotion and have added to it, albeit taking some gambles with the players they have recruited. Ignatius Ganago has been added to the side from Nice to add some punch to the forward line but while he has shown some promise, he has yet to make good on it, while Corentin Jean, who arrives on a permanent basis, has yet to cut it in the top flight. The return of playmaker Gael Kakuta has been greeted with excitement and he should prove to be a key player. Lens’ forwards have the capacity score goals if given good service. The midfield, meanwhile, could be a problematic area defensively. Yannick Cahuzac is highly experienced but at 35 past his best, while Manuel Perez has not played Ligue 1 before at 29 and Cheick Doucoure is a raw youngster. It remains to be seen how strong Lens are defensively. Steven Fortes is a decent Ligue 1 player, and while there are plenty of options to feature alongside him, it’s not yet clear how they will line up. Left-back Facundo Medina and Wuilker Farinez, who both join from South American football, come highly recommended but transitioning to a completely different culture could be problematic.