Lyon vs Lens prediction 05.03.2026 | Coupe de France

In Ligue 1, the current Lyon squad sits third with 45 points from 24 matches. However, their recent form has been a mixed bag: Paulo Fonseca’s men suffered a 3-1 defeat at Strasbourg a fortnight ago and also conceded in stoppage time against Marseille last weekend, eventually losing 3-2. Pavel Šulc has been a central attacking figure, contributing significantly to Lyon’s goal output across competitions, having netted 10 times in Ligue 1 this season.

Defensively, Lyon are solid at the back, having only conceded 26 goals in Ligue 1 this season, giving them the third-best defensive record in the top flight. It is a key metric for cup competition where defensive discipline often decides outcomes in the latter stages.

Injuries remain a concern. Key attacking figures such as Ernest Nuamah, Malick Fofana, Ruben Kluivert, Afonso Moreira, and Pavel Sulc have been reported unavailable, which could compromise Lyon’s attacking fluency.

RC Lens have enjoyed an outstanding 2025/26 league campaign, currently occupying second place in Ligue 1 with 17 wins and boasting the league’s second-most efficient defence, having conceded only 21 goals in 24 matches. They have demonstrated a balance between defensive rigidity and attacking threat, with Wesley Saïd and Odsonne Édouard leading their scoring charts.

Lens’s recent Ligue 1 performances have seen a slight dip in form, as they dropped points in a 1-1 draw with Strasbourg and a 3-2 home defeat to Monaco, which harmed their title ambitions but did little to dent their overall momentum. The team’s form in the cup has been convincing, having scored three or more goals in all three of their Coupe de France ties so far.

Injury issues have also hit Lens, with several players reported out or doubtful, including goalkeeper Régis Gurtner and defenders Jonathan Gradit, Kyllian Antonio, Samson Baidoo and Ruben Aguilar.