Olympique Lyonnais went to Lens for the first day of the Ligue 1, a match expected with a staff considerably renewed compared to their previous meeting in May, which resulted in a 1-2 defeat. Pierre Sage’s team will face a RC Lens that has strengthened its team with well-known players from the French championship, including Régis Gurtner, Matthieu Udol and Florian Thauvin, former attacker of the Olympique de Marseille. The latter is particularly monitored for its ability to potentially destabilize the Lyon defence.

Florian Thauvin, World Champion in 2018, takes up a new challenge after a less successful passage to the Tigers. After two successful seasons at Udinese, he demonstrated his pass quality in the preparation games against Leipzig, with a decisive center that impressed coach Bollier. Although it is not certain to start the meeting, Pierre Sage could have him enter the second period to disrupt the opposing defensive lines, especially on the sides.

Thauvin represents a key player capable of influencing the course of the game. Its vigilance will therefore be paramount for observers. The stakes of this meeting are twofold: for Lyon, it is a new page to write with a staff in full construction, and for Lens, it is the opportunity to confirm its reinforcements. The duel between Thaivin and the Lyon defence could well be decisive for the outcome of this first day of Ligue 1.