News Focus
- RC Lens secured their first Coupe de France crown and finished as Ligue 1 runners-up last term
- The club qualified for the UEFA Champions League but now faces a squad overhaul this summer
- Sporting director Jean-Louis Léca insists repeating such success is impossible next season
- Captain Adrien Thomasson is set to join Stade Rennais FC, whilst other stars could follow
- The French outfit will not spend heavily on new signings despite European competition
RC Lens celebrated a landmark campaign last term. The northern French side secured their maiden Coupe de France triumph and claimed second spot in the Ligue 1 table. This impressive run earned them a place in the UEFA Champions League group stages for the upcoming season.
However, Jean-Louis Léca has moved to lower supporters’ expectations. The club’s sporting director spoke to RMC Sport programme Rothen s’enflamme. He stated that matching last year’s results will prove impossible.
The summer period promises challenges for the Sang et Or. Manager Pierre Sage has not confirmed whether he will remain at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Furthermore, the squad faces a major overhaul. Club skipper Adrien Thomasson is poised to complete a switch to Stade Rennais FC. Other important figures, including Malang Sarr, Allan Saint-Maximin and Mamadou Sangaré, could also seek moves away.
Lens have learned harsh lessons from previous European campaigns. The board will not sanction large transfer fees to strengthen the team. Léca used his media appearance to manage fan expectations carefully.
“We have only featured in the Champions League four times throughout our 120-year existence,” Léca explained. “We do not belong among the elite European clubs. This does not stop us from competing strongly, as Brest demonstrated last term. However, I must be honest with our supporters. We will not surpass last season’s achievements.”
He added: “We will not win the league title. We will not retain the Coupe de France. But if we stick to our principles—developing young talent, providing opportunities for academy products, upgrading our facilities and improving our backroom staff—we can target European football and silverware within the next three years. This represents our true path forward.”