Lens said goodbye to the Champions League after the complete rout on the Arsenal pitch (6-0) this Wednesday, November 29. Crushed by the Gunners who were much too strong, Franck Haise’s men retain the hope of qualifying for the Europa League.
3 mins
The first leg between Lens and Arsenal at the beginning of October was a feat for the Sang et Or. The match this Wednesday evening in London was a return to earth. Underground, even, since the Artesian club is officially eliminated from the Champions League after its very heavy defeat (6-0) against the Gunners. With five points, they can no longer hope to grab one of the two qualifying places in Group B for the round of 16.
After a first flight from Kai Havertz, to place a helmet shot which flirted with the post of Brice Samba (11th), just to warn Franck Haise’s men of what awaited them, Lensois dreams collapsed. The German striker came to beat Samba from close range, with the tip of his foot, following a header from Gabriel Jesus in the heart of an apathetic defense.
Lens never had the means
The score was open, the ordeal was only beginning. After a timid attempt at rebellion, the Sang et Or were punished by Bukayo Saka who enjoyed a strike from Gabriel Martinelli that was poorly repelled by the Lens goalkeeper. Bukayo Saka scored again to make it three and Martinelli had fun on the right wing before cutting back and striking to make it four, with only the 27th minute played.
Five minutes before the break, furious, Facundo Medina unleashed a shot from 25 meters which crashed into the post. A sign that this evening, and indeed for the rest of the season, the Champions League was going to ignore Lens. To drive the point home, Martin Odegaard volleyed into Samba’s small net. Five goals in one half, that’s what separates the second in Ligue 1 2022/2023 edition and the top level of the track to the stars.
No flashes in the second half, especially almost. Massadio Haidara almost received a red card for a dangerous tackle. Then, Arsenal, on several occasions, almost worsened the score before Jorginho completed the humiliation from the penalty spot (87th). Before this Tuesday evening, when almost 3,000 northern supporters flocked to the Emirates Stadium, Lens almost believed it.
Reality has caught up with the little thumb of this group B. But the idea of offering a European season to Bollaert is not yet dead. To do this, we will have to hold on to at least the draw at home against Sevilla, for the moment dead last in this group, to finish in third place.
Results of the 5th day
Tuesday November 28
Group E
SS Lazio-Celtic FC 2-0
Feyenoord Club-Atlético de Madrid 1-3
Group F
AC Milan-Borussia Dortmund 1-3
Paris Saint-Germain-Newcastle United FC 1-1
Group G
Manchester City-RB Leipzig 3-2
BSC Young Boys-FK Crvena Zvezda 2-0
Group H
FC Shakhtar Donetsk-Royal Antwerp FC 1-0
FC Barcelona-FC Porto 2-1
Wednesday November 29
Group A
Galatasaray AS-Manchester United 3-3
FC Bayern Munich-FC Copenhagen 0-0
Group B
Sevilla FC-PSV Eindhoven 2-3
Arsenal FC-RC Lens 6-0
Group C
SC Braga-1. FC Union Berlin 1-1
Real Madrid CF-SSC Naples 4-2
Group D
Real Sociedad de Futbol-FC Salzburg 0-0
Benfica-Inter Milan 3-3