Shamrock Rovers host Drogheda United in a Matchday 33 of the Irish Premier Division. The game takes place on Thursday, October 8, at 20:00 UK Time.
Lens hosts Lyon in a Matchday 6 fixture of the French Ligue 1. The game is scheduled for Friday, October 9, at 19:45 UK Time.
Match Preview
The hosts have recorded four wins and four losses in their last ten matches, with their recent league results being rather inconsistent. Lens lost to Lorient and Monaco and drew 2:2 with Le Mans, yet they also secured an impressive 5–2 victory over Auxerre, showcasing their attacking potential. However, they are currently performing below last season's standards and are likely to face difficulties at home against a Lyon side that is on the rise.
Lyon remains unbeaten in their last four matches, recording two wins and two draws in the league, alongside a 2:1 away victory over Anderlecht in the Europa League. Their most recent league win a 4:0 thrashing of Rennes was particularly impressive. Prior to that, Lyon drew 0:0 away at Paris FC, beat Auxerre 3:1, and drew 1:1 with Le Havre. Heading into the match against Lens, Lyon trails the league leaders by two points but could temporarily move to the top of the table with a win on Friday.
Prediction for Lens - Lyon
Lens have the advantage of playing at home, but Lyon have shown more convincing form in recent matches, with their latest results suggesting that the visitors are on an upward trend. For that reason, I would prefer a DNB on Lyon rather than backing them to win outright. Another interesting option for Lens - Lyon could be Both Teams to Score, as both sides tend to play attacking football and have shown good goalscoring form.
Prediction: DNB 2
