Preview: Lens vs Monaco - prediction, team news, lineups

Lens will try to maintain or possibly increase their lead atop the Ligue 1 table with a win on Saturday when they welcome Monaco to Stade Bollaert-Delelis on matchday 23 of the campaign.

A 5-0 thumping at Paris FC lifted Les Sang et Or back into first, a point above Paris Saint-Germain heading into this weekend’s action, while Monaco are eighth after a 3-1 win over Nantes.

Match preview

With a dozen matches remaining, Lens are back on top of the league table for now, after getting some help from Rennes, who defeated PSG 3-1 last weekend.

The Northern French side did not miss their opportunity to climb back into first, coming away with their biggest league victory since returning to the top-flight in 2020-21.

A single point on Sunday would give them 53 on the campaign, exceeding their entire output from 2024-25 (52) when they wound up eighth.

Pierre Sage has already won two more league matches (17) this season than his predecessor Will Still had in the previous campaign, and his team are 12 points clear of Marseille for an automatic place in the League Phase of next season’s Champions League.

In 2025-26, Lens have been nearly unbeatable at home, winning 10 in a row at Stade Bollaert-Delelis in this competition.

Les Sang et Or have won their last two meetings versus the Principality club by a combined margin of 8-1, including a 4-0 thumping in this exact fixture last season.

At Monaco, the campaign has become a bit of a mixed bag in recent times, which, given their woeful start to 2026, may not be so bad.

Sebastien Pocognoli’s men began the year by losing three of their first four competitive fixtures, allowing a combined 13 goals over that stretch.

They come into this weekend unbeaten in their previous four league fixtures with an opportunity to claim consecutive top-flight triumphs for the first time since October.

Monaco have points in back-to-back Ligue 1 affairs away from home, but are winless in their previous five league contests played outside the Principality.

In their last three competitive fixtures away from Stade Louis II, they have netted just once, and in their last two domestic affairs on the road, they have scored none.

Les Monegasques have lost two of their previous three visits to Stade Bollaert-Delelis by three or more goals, winning only once in between in 2024 (3-2).

Lens Ligue 1 form:

Lens form (all competitions):

Monaco Ligue 1 form:

Monaco form (all competitions):

Team News

Hamstring strains could prevent Regis Gurtner and Samson Baidoo from featuring for Lens this weekend while Jonathan Gradit is doubtful with a lower-leg issue.

Meanwhile, Mamadou Sangare has a knock, Kyllian Antonio is dealing with a foot injury and former Monaco defender Ruben Aguilar will be eligible to return from suspension.

Rayan Fofana netted twice in the latter stages against Paris FC, after Wesley Said had done the same in the opening half, with Florian Thauvin scoring in between.

Over at Monaco, there are still a host of players questionable on Saturday, with Paul Pogba, Mohammed Salisu, Takumi Minamino and Lukas Hradecky all dealing with knee problems, while Eric Dier and Christian Mawissa have sore hamstrings and Kassom Ouattara has a calf injury.

Despite an ankle problem, Lamine Camara played the full 90 minutes in their Champions League defeat to PSG (3-2) on Tuesday, Maghnes Akliouche also played on a sore hip, while Aleksandr Golovin will be suspended following his red card versus Nantes.

Simon Adingra scored twice last Friday, his first two goals since being loaned by Sunderland, while captain Denis Zakaria had the other strike.

Lens possible starting lineup:

Risser; Ganiou, Sarr, Celik; Aguilar, Thomasson, Sangare, Udol; Thauvin, Said; Edouard

Monaco possible starting lineup:

Kohn; Vanderson, Kehrer, Faes, Henrique; Camara, Zakaria; Coulibaly, Biereth, Adingra; Balogun

We say: Lens 3-1 Monaco

With PSG right on their heels, Lens should be very determined to stay sharp, and we expect their overall depth to shine through and be at their best when facing a fatigued and inconsistent Monaco squad.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.