How and Where to Watch - Lens vs Nantes in the Ligue 1 on beIN SPORTS
Lens need a win to stay in the title race, while Nantes are fighting to avoid relegation.
The current situation for Ligue 1 side Lens is very much glass half-empty, glass half-full. By the end of Friday's match against Nantes, which is live on beIN SPORTS, the situation will be much clearer.
Second-place Lens are still in the title race with PSG, although the reigning champions currently hold the advantage. Both teams have three league matches remaining, with a six-point gap separating them. The twist comes next Wednesday, when Lens host PSG in a potentially decisive clash.
An optimistic supporter could picture Lens defeating struggling Nantes on Friday, followed by PSG dropping points against Brest on Sunday, before Lens secure another victory next week. That scenario would set up a dramatic final day of the season with the northern side still alive in the race for the Ligue 1 crown.
Lens Focused on Securing Second Place
However, any result other than a victory for Lens, combined with a win for PSG, would officially end the title race immediately. Still, instead of focusing solely on catching the leaders, head coach Pierre Sage is also keeping an eye behind them.
Lyon, currently in third place, sit just four points back with two matches left to play. A victory against Nantes would guarantee second place for Lens, an important achievement considering the tight battle near the top of the standings.
"Given our current position, we have to do everything possible to finish second in the table," said Pierre Sage ahead of Friday’s match. "We shouldn’t even be thinking about anything else.”
Nantes Fighting for Survival
For Nantes, the pressure is even greater. The club currently sits second from bottom in the Ligue 1 table, five points behind Auxerre, with only two games remaining in the season.
Anything less than a victory on Friday would officially condemn Nantes to relegation to the second division. With survival hanging by a thread, the visitors are expected to play with urgency and desperation in what could be one of their final opportunities to stay alive.
Friday’s matchup carries enormous stakes for both sides — one chasing the title dream and the other battling to avoid the drop.
Match Information
Friday, May 8
2:35 PM ET / 11:35 AM PT
Watch beIN SPORTS Xtra live for free on YouTube
