Nantes vs Lens Predictions, Lineups & Betting Tips

Match Details: December 6, 2025 | Stade de la Beaujoire – Louis Fonteneau | French Ligue Un | 16:00 GMT

Lowly Nantes host lofty Lens in the 15th round of Ligue Un fixtures, with the Canaries desperately needing a good result to drag them out of the relegation battle and back into the mid-table pack. The visitors, meanwhile, are searching for a win to keep them beyond chasers PSG and Marseille, which are two sides that you wouldn't want to be in a title race with.

Key Betting Tips: BTTS at 1.70 odds on BoyleSports, or 1.67 odds on Parimatch represent good value based on the tip provided by Football Park's algorithm.

Despite the away side looking like the favourites going into this tie, our advanced algorithm suggests that a Lens win isn't as likely as expected, and that the best bet would be to opt for both teams to score.

Nantes vs Lens Predicted Lineups

Nantes Predicted XI (4-3-3): Anthony Lopes; Nicolas Cozza, Tylel Tati, Chidozie Awaziem, Kelvin Amian; Dehmaine Tabibou, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, Johann Lepenant; Matthis Abline, Youssef El Arabi, Bahereba Guirassy

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin is in doubt for this game, whereas Junior Mwanga will be serving a suspension for the red card he picked up against Lyon. Young midfielder Louis Leroux is set to be out until the middle of January.

Lens Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Robin Risser; Malang Sarr, Samson Baidoo, Ismaelo Ganiou; Matthieu Udol, Andrija Bulatović, Mamadou Sangare, Ruben Aguilar; Wesley Saïd, Florian Thauvin; Odsonne Édouard

Jhoanner Chávez and Jonathan Gradit are both unfit to play in this game, as Morgan Guilavogui and Adrien Thomasson will also be sidelined to serve their suspensions. The latter's absence from the squad looks like it will make way for exciting youngster Andrija Bulatović to make his first Ligue Un start.

Nantes vs Lens Current League Standings

Nantes have had a difficult start to the season, taking just two wins and a total of 11 points from their first 14 fixtures. As you can imagine, this kind of form has seen them slip into the relegation play-off position of 16th. There's not very much to be optimistic about in terms of upcoming fixtures either, as they've played a lot of teams around them in the table recently and failed to beat any of them. They are only kept out of the guaranteed relegation places by goal difference, so they'll be desperate for a quick upturn in form to change their prospects for the rest of the season.

Lens have had completely contrasting fortunes and are loving life at the top of Ligue Un. Their incredible form lately saw them jump ahead of PSG to take the position at the summit of the division in what could become a season to remember if they can maintain their electric start. They've enjoyed some amazing positions in the top division since their promotion back in 2020, which has seen their lowest league finish in that time be the lofty eighth place position. They're the first team to have reached the double figures in wins in Ligue Un this season, so we're excited to see if they can maintain their form and stay in first heading into the festive period.

Nantes vs Lens Head-to-Head Timeline

This fixture has been just about perfectly even over the last 15 years, as both sides have earned seven wins against the other and four matches have ended on level terms. Interestingly, when Nantes are at home in this match-up, as they will be this time around, they have been pretty dominant all things considered, as they have won six times and only suffered defeat twice.

Home advantage has clearly helped Nantes against Lens over the years, but overall in their most recent encounters, it has been Lens who have had the upper hand. With three wins in their last five meetings, Lens will be looking to improve their away record at Stade de la Beaujoire and pick up three points that could be vital to retaining their position at the summit.

Recent Head-to-Head Results:

• February 23, 2025: Nantes 3-1 Lens (Ligue Un)
• November 9, 2024: Lens 3-2 Nantes (Ligue Un)
• February 3, 2024: Nantes 0-1 Lens (Ligue Un)
• October 28, 2023: Lens 4-0 Nantes (Ligue Un)
• March 1, 2023: Nantes 2-1 Lens (Coupe de France)

Nantes and Lens Recent Matches Analysis

Nantes Last 5 Matches:

• Nantes 0-3 Lyon (A) - Ligue Un
• Nantes 1-1 Lorient (H) - Ligue Un
• Nantes 1-1 Le Havre (A) - Ligue Un
• Nantes 0-2 Metz (H) - Ligue Un
• Nantes 3-5 Monaco (H) - Ligue Un

Nantes have played three of the four teams immediately around them in the table in recent weeks, and should be concerned that they were only able to take two points from those games. The other two losses will have hurt but aren't huge shocks given the quality of their opponents, and scoring three against Monaco is a good position for their attack to have been in. It was defending that let them down on that occasion as they conceded five, which contributed towards their awful record of 12 goals conceded in their last five games. They have a lot of work to do to get a result in this one.

Lens Last 5 Matches:

• Lens 2-1 Angers (A) - Ligue Un
• Lens 1-0 Strasbourg (H) - Ligue Un
• Lens 4-1 Monaco (A) - Ligue Un
• Lens 3-0 Lorient (H) - Ligue Un
• Lens 0-2 Metz (A) - Ligue Un

Lens are in an excellent patch of form at the moment with four wins on the trot, a run that has seen them overtake PSG to the top of the table. They've been prolific in front of goal, scoring 10 times in their last four games, and defensive solidity has become a priority in that time too, with two clean sheets and just two goals conceded. Lens look like they'll be a formidable opponent, but their defeat to Metz, who are now down in 17th, proves that they are capable of being beaten by sides in the lower order of the table, which Nantes will be motivated by.

Nantes vs Lens Predictions

Our advanced algorithm analyses over 200 data points to generate these predictions with a 70.00% confidence in BTTS. The model factors in current form, head-to-head records, player availability, and tactical matchups.

Best Nantes vs Lens Betting Tips

Football Park’s Best Bet: BTTS @ 1.70 odds on BoyleSports - Both teams have looked capable in front of goal and can be open to conceding too. Football Park's advanced algorithm dictates that BTTS is the most likely outcome and is partnered with good odds.

Key Players to Watch: Nantes vs Lens

Matthis Abline (Nantes): The young winger has looked like the best attacking option for Nantes this season, with the others around him not really pulling their weight or putting up good enough numbers. With two goals and two assists to his name in the league this season, Abline could be an exciting player in the future, as his performances have been convincing in recent outings. When he does get on the scoresheet, it's an important goal for the side; he scored the winner against Paris FC and scored against Le Havre which saw them pick up a point.

Florian Thauvin (Lens): Thauvin is becoming something of a veteran these days as he approaches his mid-thirties, but he's letting his experience count for a lot this season. Lens have plenty of attacking talent this season in the form of Édouard and Saïd, yet it's the ex-Marseille and Udinese star who has been really pulling the strings going forward. He's been vital for their chance creation this season, while the other two have been there mostly to finish them off, but he's also been able to get himself on the scoresheet four times in the league this season, including a brace against Angers to earn three massive points in a 2-1 win.

Nantes vs Lens Match Facts

Referee: Benoît Bastien

Stadium Information: Located in Nantes, in the West of France, Stade de la Beaujoire – Louis Fonteneau, which is mostly known just as Stade de la Beaujoire, has a capacity of 35,322, though it could originally fit 52,923 before it became an all-seater stadium.

Nantes vs Lens: Final Prediction

Nantes 1-2 Lens