Match Previews

Lens likely to remain unchanged from first leg victory... Kovacevic (r)(mid) and Bisevac (r)(def) both Cup-tied but the latter is also injured... Ramos (r)(def) returns...Sidi Keita (sp)(mid) injured in final training session...Barul (sp)(def) to miss out also... Racing Club Lens hold a slender one goal advantage over Leverkusen as they travel to Germany for the second leg of their UEFA Cup last sixteen match. The French side will have to wary of the away goal their German hosts have scored but, at the same time, they will be confident of progressing after winning at home. Lens’ league form has been far from spectacular in recent weeks, drawing rather than winning the majority of games in their seven match unbeaten run, including a 1-1 tie with quickly improving basement club Sedan at the Stade Felix-Bollard on Saturday. Lens received a blow in this match when defender Milan Bisevac (r) was removed from play due to a problem with his left thigh, although this is considerably more influential on the club’s league campaign as the Serb is ineligible to play in the UEFA Cup this term. Another player unable to feature is Bisevac’s former Red Star Belgrade colleague Nenad Kovacevic (r) who is also cup-tied. Injuries are few on the ground with Marco Ramos (r) returning after a knock while Lens do not have any suspension concerns either, meaning that a side identical to the one that emerged victorious from the first leg could potentially start. Lens will set-up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Charles Itandje (r) in goal with a back four of Coulibaly (r), Hilton (r), Tixier (sp) and the versatile Dumont (sp). Seydou Keita (k) will remain in a defensive midfield position, from where he can dictate the play and even get forward to score goals; the captain remains Lens’ most influential player. Sidi Keita (no relation) (sp) was expected to be given the other role in the absence of Kovacevic, the young midfielder having impressed when previously given the chance in this season’s competition, but he picked up an injury in the club's final training session and will miss out. Hermach is now expected to play as Barul (sp) is also carrying a knock. Olivier Monterubbio (r) was a goal scorer in the first leg and will start in an aggressive role, probably on the left, and will be joined in the attacking midfield slots by Carriere (r) and Daniel Cousin (sp), scorer of the goal that currently divides the two sides. In attack Aruna Dindane (k) continues to star for Lens, having scored eleven league goals this term.