Lens defy expectations to top Ligue 1 | OneFootball

Ligue 1 has a new leader. With a 2-1 win over Angers at the weekend, thanks to two goals from world champion Florian Thauvin, Lens have claimed the top spot of the French league.

Against the odds, Les Sang et Or have leapfrogged the reigning champions PSG, who lost at Monaco on Saturday, to top the table for the first time in more than two decades.

Lens had not reached the summit since 2002, and the club has undergone a significant overhaul this season. Benjamin Parrot and Jean-Louis Leca took charge of the football department, replacing Pierre Dreossi and Diego Lopez, while Pierre Sage was appointed head coach, succeeding Will Still, who moved on to Southampton.

The club’s austere transfer policy continues. Last season, Lens generated around €100 million in sales, parting with key players such as Elye Wahi, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Brice Samba. This window followed a similar pattern, with Kevin Danso moving to Tottenham, and the departures of Andy Diouf to Internazionale and Neil El Aynaoui to Roma.

Sage, given full autonomy to shape the team in his style, focused on economical signings that fit his tactical vision. His approach emphasises aggressive pressing, vertical play, and rapid transitions, often lining up in a 3-4-3 formation.

To support this high-intensity system in a physically demanding league, Lens strengthened key positions. Midfielder Mamadou Sangaré joined from Rapid Vienna for €8 million, providing box-to-box energy, while Austrian defender Samson Baidoo brought athleticism and explosive power for the same fee.

Experience and leadership were also added. Striker Odsonne Édouard, formerly of Crystal Palace, leads the attack with five goals and two assists this season. The standout star, however, has been Thauvin. The 2018 world champion returned to French football after stints at Tigres and Udinese and has already contributed four goals and two assists, earning a recall to the French national team at 32.

Lens boast the best defence in the league, winning 10 of their 14 matches. With 31 points, they sit one ahead of PSG and will travel to Nantes in the next round, aiming to maintain their lead and continue defying expectations in Ligue 1.