Lens vs PSV prediction: EUROPE: Champions League – Group Stage betting tips on match 2023-10-23 19:00.
Lens manager Franck Haise will be hoping some much needed time on the training ground does his players the world of good as they return to UEFA Champions League (UCL) action. The Blood and Gold drew 0-0 away to Le Havre on Friday night, with the boss admitting preparation was an issue given some of his squad only got back from international duty in the 24 hours leading up to the game.
That stalemate was a sixth successive game without defeat across all competitions for last year’s Ligue 1 runners up (W3, D3), who will hope they are finally over their poor start to the season. They are now looking to build on picking up four points from the opening two UCL group fixtures, including coming from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 at the start of the month.
Hoping to end the good form are visitors PSV Eindhoven, who have impressively only lost one of their last six fixtures against French opposition (W2, D3). That bodes well for a team who maintained their place at the top of the Dutch Eredivisie on Saturday night by beating Fortuna Sittard 3-1, extending their stunning run to just one defeat in 33 league and cup outings since mid-February (W27, D5).
That sole loss has come in this competition though, a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Arsenal, which coupled with a 2-2 draw against Sevilla, means they have just one point from two group games. The Red and Whites, who haven’t reached the knockout stages since 2015/16, are therefore already scrambling to qualify for the last 16, and a record of just four away UCL victories – all in the preliminary stages – since August 2013 (D6, L11) does not inspire much confidence.
Key battle: Lens will be hoping Adrien Thomasson can find his shooting boots, as he hasn’t lost a game in which he has scored since February 2020 (W13, D6). Looking to get the better of him will be PSV’s Luuk de Jong, who has netted ten UCL goals, eight of which have been the first or last of the game.
Hot streak: PSV’s six UCL games this season have all featured 4+ goals.