Our prediction for this Ligue 1 match:
There will be fireworks when Lens and Lorient face each other at Stade Bollaert-Delelis in the Ligue 1 round 32. Franck Haise’s troops are enjoying a season to remember, with the team extending their unbeaten run to ten games thanks to a 1-1 draw with Lyon. Since there should be no absentees in the home team, we believe that there is a big value in betting on Lens. Les Merlus, on the other hand, aim to build on a hard-fought 1-0 win over Brest.
Lorient are determined to secure the Ligue 1 survival, but beating the high-flying Sang et Or on the road is easier said than done. Lens defeated Lorient 3-2 in the first half of the season, which is yet another reason why we are tempted to put our money on the hosts. All Tiago Ilori, Jeremy Morel, Thomas Fontaine, and Matthieu Saunier are all sidelined with injuries for the visiting team.
Highlighted Player (Seko Fofana):
Born in Paris on May 7, 1995, Seko Fofana is a midfielder who plays for Serie A side Udinese. Fofana started his career at the youth teams of Paris FC and in 2010 he moved to Lorient. After spending four years at the club, the French footballer joined Premier League side Manchester City in the 2013/2014 season.
Despite being a Man City player from 2014 to 2016, Seko Fofana did not see any game action in the English top flight with the Citizens as he was immediately sent on loan to Fulham (2014/2015). He played for Bastia on loan in the 2015/2016 season as well and in the summer of 2016 he signed a five-year deal with Italian side Udinese.
You should know that Fofana scored five goals in 22 appearances for the Zebrette in the 2016/2017 Serie A campaign. His contract with the Serie A team should expire on June 30, 2022. Due to his dual citizenship the Udinese footballer is eligible to play for France and Ivory Coast at senior level.
Highlighted Team (Lorient):
Founded back in 1926, Lorient is a French football club that competes in Ligue 1. Les Merlus have yet to win the Ligue 1 trophy, but they did well to go all the way in the Coupe de France in the 2001/02 season. In the title game, Lorient defeated Bastia thanks to Jean-Claude Darcheville’s goal.
The same season les Merlus made it to the Coupe de la Ligue final, but Bordeaux proved to be a big catch (0-3) for them in the title game. Lorient welcome their rivals at Stade du Moustoir, the stadium which can hold up to 16,392 spectators. The colour of the team’s home shirt is orange with a little black on it, while white is the dominant colour of their away jersey. In the 2002/03 season Lorient represented France in European competitions.
Les Merlus, though, failed to impress on their debut in the UEFA Cup as they were beaten by Denizlispor in the round 1 double-header.