Pierre Sage: 'This Is the Year' for Lens Coupe Glory
Pierre Sage on Lens' first Coupe de France final: past failures with Lyon, the 120-year club drought, and the mental edge over playoff-bound Nice.
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Pierre Sage on Lens' first Coupe de France final: past failures with Lyon, the 120-year club drought, and the mental edge over playoff-bound Nice.
A 9-year-old's alleged assault at a U11 tournament sparked outrage, but video evidence later contradicted claims of a prolonged attack, revealing a brief
FIFA refused LFP's exemption request, meaning Nice and Saint-Étienne must play the Ligue 1/Ligue 2 barrage without World Cup-bound players on May 26 and 29.
RC Lens' 766 crosses (29.5% success) led to 11 aerial goals, while a teen's record debut and early/late strikes marked the Ligue 1 campaign.
Paulo Fonseca calls OL's 4th place in Ligue 1 'magnificent' yet rues mental fragility and injuries that cost a top-3 finish, and addresses European ambitions.
A U11 final assault claim involving Mattheo, 9, sparked national outrage in France, but later video contradicted the story. Analysis of the incident's fallout.
OGC Nice face a closed-door relegation play-off on May 29 after fan chaos, while a B-team is likely for the Coupe de France final to save starters.
A Lens Cup win would send Monaco to the Conference League playoffs, bringing a 15-20M€ boost, though the director admits it's undeserved after finishing 7th.
Lens ended Ligue 1 with a 4-0 thrashing of Lyon, Auxerre secured survival with a 2-0 win at Lille, and Nantes-Toulouse was suspended after crowd trouble.
Lyon learn their Champions League 3rd qualifying round opponent July 20. Fenerbahçe, Sparta Prague, NEC Nijmegen among potential rivals for August ties.
Saint-Étienne sold 20,000 priority tickets in under a day for the L1 relegation play-off vs Nice, with open training Wednesday stoking fan excitement.
Lyon will learn their Champions League qualifying fate on July 20, with Fenerbahçe and Sparta Prague among six potential opponents for the third round.
Antoine Kombouaré lifted Paris FC to 4th, Franck Haise boosted Rennes, but Claude Puel flopped at Nice. Analysis of all 7 Ligue 1 coaching changes.
RC Lens coach Pierre Sage rested key starters vs Lyon but secured a 4-0 win, keeping OL to 0.00xG in the first half before the Coupe de France final.
Brest coach Éric Roy admits squad weakening yearly and great uncertainties after Gregory Lorenzi's exit, with no sporting director to lead.
New Nantes boss Habib Beye insists his personal future is irrelevant amid Ligue 1 relegation fight, focusing solely on immediate results to avoid the drop.
Florian Thauvin's hat-trick masterclass in Lens' 4-0 demolition of Lyon is seen as a farewell, igniting debate about his next move after World Cup snub.
The Ligue 1 playoff between Nice and Saint-Étienne is reset for May 26 and 29, impacted by Nice's Coupe de France final vs Lens on May 22.
PSG clinch 2025-26 Ligue 1 crown as Lille & Lens reach UCL; Nantes & Metz relegated. Coupe de France final to decide remaining European spots.
Marseille beat Rennes 3-1 to claim Europa League spot; Rennes face Conference League unless Lens win Coupe de France. Early Höjbjerg and Gouiri goals were key.