Lyon vs Lens prediction, H2H and probable lineups - May 4, 2025
One of the fixtures of Ligue 1's 32nd round will be played this Sunday at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, where the local side Lyon will host Lens. I’m offering a bet on the outcome of this clash with an attractive odds value.
Match preview
Lyon put on a commanding display in the previous round, crushing Rennes 4-1. That result allowed them to hold onto fifth place in the table, which grants a Europa League spot, and cut the gap to Monaco to just one point. Nevertheless, the race for European places remains intense—Lyon are ahead of their two closest chasers only on tie-breakers. In such a scenario, every game is worth its weight in gold, and the upcoming match is a key opportunity to strengthen their position in the final stretch.
The team has been especially impressive at home: four straight Ligue 1 wins and just one loss in their last 12 home matches. During this run, Lyon have picked up nine victories and drawn twice, making them one of the best home sides in the second half of the season. This stability on home turf could be the decisive factor in their bid to return to the Champions League.
Lens, on the other hand, suffered a shocking heavy defeat at home to Auxerre, losing 0-4 and effectively ending their hopes of European qualification. While they could theoretically still fight for a spot in the Conference League, a nine-point deficit with three matches left makes it almost impossible. This collapse was especially painful in front of their own fans and given the expectations surrounding the team.
It's also worth noting that Lens continue their uncompromising run in Ligue 1, having now gone 16 matches without a single draw. Over that span, they've recorded 7 wins and 9 losses, showing extremely inconsistent form. Such unpredictability has prevented them from steadily collecting points and mounting a serious challenge for the top spots.
Probable lineups
- Lyon: Lucas Perri – Nicolás Tagliafico, Clinton Mata, Moussa Niakhaté, Ainsley Maitland-Niles – Nemanja Matić, Corentin Tolisso, Thiago Almada, Malick Fofana, Rayan Cherki – Georges Mikautadze
- Lens: Mathew Ryan – Djuma Ba, Malang Sarr, Jonathan Gradit – Deiver Machado, Ruben Aguilar, Adrien Thomasson, Neil El Aynaoui – Anass Zaroury, Goduine Koyalipou, Andy Diouf
Match facts and head-to-head
- In the first round, Lens and Lyon played out a 0-0 draw
- The "Total Over 2.5" bet landed in three of their last five meetings
- The "Both teams to score" bet landed in two of their last five meetings
Prediction
Given the fact that Lens have essentially lost their motivation, the best option here is to back a "Lyon win" at odds of 1.65. Lyon have been extremely solid at home, barely dropping points in front of their fans.
