# Lens's answer to Como has to come against the club that beat them 9-1 first

The 9-1 to Como on Wednesday equalled the worst defeat in Lens's history, which until then belonged to Marseille, in April 1940. Marseille arrive at Bollaert on four straight league wins and fresh from their first Europa League win, at Leverkusen.

Preview · Ligue 1
Editorial board · 7 November 2026

- Lens v Marseille
- Kick-off: 2026-11-08 19:45 UTC
- Ground: Stade Bollaert-Delelis
- Status: To come

Yannick Cahuzac has chosen how Lens will pay for Wednesday, and the answer is that they will not. "There will be no punishment," he said on Friday, "but I will pick the team I judge most ready for Sunday." The squad had already been called to a meeting with the president, Joseph Oughourlian, in the room.

The defeat they were answering for was the heaviest a French club has suffered in the Champions League, and in Lens's own books it had a single precedent: a 9-1 to Marseille in April 1940. Four days after Como matched it, Marseille come to Bollaert.

They come in the best run of their season. Four league wins in a row, among them 5-2 at Angers and 4-3 against Le Havre, were followed on Thursday by a 1-0 at Leverkusen, Amine Gouiri scoring in the 77th minute for their first Europa League win after three defeats. Bruno Genesio called Lens a wounded team and said he expected a reaction, which is why Marseille had to be ready from the start.

Lens's case for one rests on their ground. They have won three of their four league matches there, and two points separate the sides, Marseille sixth on 15 and Lens ninth on 13. But they will be without Odsonne Édouard, Abdallah Sima and Franjo Ivanović, while Marseille's injuries stop at Emerson and Derek Cornelius, with Amine Harit back in their squad. And Lens have conceded in every one of their nine league games. Their captain, Florian Thauvin, used to play for Marseille.

Marseille have not drawn a league match all season: five wins, four defeats. Cahuzac, in charge only since September, has told the supporters he cannot ask them to be happy after a night like Wednesday, and what he gets from Sunday is either the reply he promised or a second defeat by the club that set the first record.

## Our call

Marseille should win, though not by much: four league wins running and a first European win behind them, against a Lens side that has conceded in every league match.

## Coming in

Lens lost 9-1 to Como on Wednesday after a 1-0 defeat at Lille, and are ninth on 13 points. Marseille won 1-0 at Leverkusen on Thursday after four straight league wins, and are sixth on 15.

## Between them

Marseille won the last meeting 3-1 in January, after Lens had won the two before it; the last six are split three wins each.

## The hinge

Lens have won three of their four home league matches this season.

## Missing

Lens: Odsonne Édouard (adductor), Abdallah Sima (thigh), Ismaëlo Ganiou (knee), Maik Nawrocki (knee ligament), Franjo Ivanovic (concussion), Jhoanner Chavez (injury). Marseille: Derek Cornelius (hip), Emerson (knee).