RC Lens pay a visit to Belgian neighbours Club Brugge for Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League. The Ligue 1 side needs to bounce back after a deflating home loss to Sporting CP last week, but they’ll be up against a team that secured a prestigious away win over Serie A champions Inter Milan.
Lens head coach Yannick Cahuzac faces a conundrum over his starting XI due to the absences of highly-rated defensive prospect Ismaël Ganiou. L’Equipe predicts that Matthieu Udol – the team’s senior left wing-back – will be deployed on the left side of Lens’ three-man defense alongside Samson Baidoo and Kyllian Antonio. This would leave West Ham United loanee Jean-Clair Todibo on the bench.
Up front, Abdallah Sima remains on the sidelines. Former Crystal Palace centre-forward Odsonne Edouard, who scored on Saturday for Lens’ away won over Troyes, should be given the nod. Franjo Ivanovic and the excellent Florian Thauvin are also expected to start.
Lens likely line-up v Club Brugge
Robin Risser; Matthieu Udol, Samson Baidoo, Kyllian Antonio; Michal Skoras, Amadou Haïdara, Michael Cuisance, Saud Abdulhamid; Franjo Ivanovic, Odsonne Edouard, Florian Thauvin. (L’Éq)