After an absence of more than a decade from European competition, Lens made a fight of it in their Champions League group.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough as they slid down to UEFA’s second-tier competition. However, this team is on their way to becoming regulars in Europe.
Lens vs Freiburg Betting Tips
- Double chance - Lens/Draw @ 1.19 with Supabets
- Both teams to score @ 1.89 with Supabets
- Lens first half clean sheet - NO - @ 2.52 with Supabets
All odds are courtesy of Supabets, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
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They’re four points off second-placed Nice in Ligue 1 and have a real shot at qualification for next season’s premier continental showpiece.
Les Sang et Or are also in a good space in terms of form, especially at home having lost just two of their 10 league games.
They must get past Freiburg on Thursday night at the raucous Stade Bollaert-Delelis to have a shot at the last 16 of the Europa League.
Under the guidance of Christian Streich, the visitors are starting to get used to being in Europe and won’t want to fall away in the knockout playoff.
The Breisgau Brazilians progressed from the group stage for a second successive season and will surely want a taste of the last 16 like they did last term.
Faultless at home
One of the outstanding points from Lens’ campaign in the Champions League was their home form. Lens went through the group stage without a single home defeat.
Even though they were thumped by Arsenal in north London, they overturned the Premier League side in France 2-1.
Freiburg’s form is worrying heading into this fixture, as they’ve lost three on the spin in the Bundesliga.
To make matters worse, the Breisgau Brazilians were on the wrong side of each of their previous four outings, demonstrating their discomfort away from home.
However, this competition has been good to them, having won four of their six group matches (L2) and they will have to find that form on Thursday night to go home with something.
- Lens vs Freiburg Betting Tip 1: Double chance - Lens/ Draw @ 1.19 with Supabets
Legitimate threats on both ends
Even though Lens weren’t spectacular in front of goal in the Champions League, they are more than capable of scoring.
Les Sang et Or will look at the visitor’s record of conceding seven in the Europa League group stage and always conceding on their travels.
Freiburg have been one of the best scorers in the competition so far, netting 17 goals at an average of 2.84 goals per game.
They scored three times in two of their away dates in Europe and five at home in two fixtures and will be a legitimate threat to the Lens goal on Thursday.
But they’ve shown to be leaky at the back as well, shipping three goals each in their last three league losses.
- Lens vs Freiburg Betting Tip 2: Both teams to score @ 1.89 with Supabets
A weakness to exploit
Lens have been poor in this competition after 45 minutes. The Ligue 1 outfit have been on the losing end in four of their six games.
They tend to concede early in the Bundesliga as well with 50% of their concessions coming before the break.
The French outfit shipped seven goals after the 31st minute and Freiburg could capitalise on that weakness this Thursday.
- Lens vs Freiburg Betting Tip 3: Lens first half clean sheet - NO - @ 2.52 with Supabets