Ligue 1 2026-2027: Lens aim to back up last season under Dino Toppmöller | OneFootball

RC Lens enter 2026-2027 aiming to confirm their standout 2025-2026, built on solid foundations, a new coach and Champions League-ready recruits. According to L'Équipe, that push comes despite a cautious economic policy.

They finished second behind PSG and won the Coupe de France, beating Nice 3-1 in the final. Dino Toppmöller replaces Pierre Sage, now at Crystal Palace, and has already lifted the Trophée des champions with a 1-0 win over PSG.

Spending stayed measured despite selling Mamadou Sangaré to Brentford for 48 million euros. Yacine Titraoui and Michaël Cuisance arrived for eight million and three and a half million, with Franjo Ivanovic joining from Benfica on a straight loan.

The league campaign starts at home to Auxerre on Saturday 22 August at 17:15.

After Wesley Saïd and Allan Saint-Maximin left, Lens targeted a versatile forward for the Champions League and landed Croatia international Ivanovic, 22, who has nine caps and two goals.

He is seeking to relaunch after a 22.8 million euro move to Benfica, following 21 goals in 46 matches for Union Saint-Gilloise in 2024-2025. He can lead the line instead of Odsonne Édouard or support him.

This will be Lens’s fourth Champions League campaign, after 1998-1999, 2002-2003 and 2023-2024. Despite taking eight points each time and finishing third, they will try to exploit the new format to progress.

Owner Joseph Oughourlian favours promoting La Gaillette talent, with at least six youngsters in contention for early minutes. Florian Thauvin, on 97 goals in 290 Ligue 1 matches, is close to 100 and could become the 15th to reach it in the last 30 years.

Source: L'Équipe

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