RC Lens – Olympique de Marseille: Pavard’s Nightmare Pulls Marseille Off Top Spot (2-1)

The two best defensive records in Ligue 1 collided at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Saturday evening. Olympique de Marseille and RC Lens entered this match having conceded seven each, but there would only be one victor as Lille local Benjamin Pavard had a night to forget against his former side’s arch-rivals. 

Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Hartland.

The appointment of Pierre Sage to succeed Will Still looks like a masterstroke by RC Lens. The club have entered a more austere era, and since the winter transfer window, have let go of Kevin Danso, Neil El Aynaoui, Andy Diouf, Brice Samba, and Facundo Medina, among many others. Despite a weaker squad than what Still had to work with last season, Sage has been getting the best out of a team filled with emerging talent and seasoned professionals, and before this weekend had the team up to fourth in the table. 

Olympique de Marseille’s run of five wins in a row across all competitions came to an end during the week when they visited Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League. Marseille had been leading the tie before they wilted. Emerson Palmieri’s sending off for collecting a second yellow after diving was the turning point in the match. Roberto De Zerbi was hoping for a quick turnaround away at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis with Marseille perched at the top of the Ligue 1 table. 

Sage stuck with his principles and went with a familiar 3-4-3 shape. Robin Risser in goal, with a back three of Malang Sarr, Samson Baidoo, and Jonathan Gradit. In midfield, Mamadou Sangaré and Adrien Thomasson, with Matthieu Udol and Ruben . . .