RC Lens sent a strong message by crushing Paris FC 5–0 on matchday 22 of Ligue 1. The emphatic win pushes the Sang et Or to the top of the provisional standings with a one-point lead, directly benefiting from PSG’s 3–1 defeat in Rennes. The signal has been sent, but there is no sign of euphoria inside the club, where the focus remains on the teams chasing from behind.
Dominant from start to finish, sharp and efficient, the northern side also boosted their goal difference in the race for first place. While Paris FC stays stuck in 15th position under pressure, Lens keep moving forward — but refuse to get carried away despite reclaiming the top spot.
Thauvin and Sage Urge Calm Despite First Place
The standout performer of the match, Florian Thauvin, quickly shut down any triumphalist talk with a measured message focused on consistency rather than the title: “We played a good match tonight. It’s important to keep our momentum going and for everyone to contribute, for everyone to be decisive. The most important thing is the three points and we got them tonight, so that’s positive. We won with style, we positioned ourselves well between the lines and took our chances. It was a great evening and everyone enjoyed it.”
“It’s important to take back first place. We’ll try to keep it even though we know it will be difficult. There are still many matches and months ahead. We’re not getting carried away — we keep going,” he insisted after sealing the score from the penalty spot.
Coach Pierre Sage echoed the same cautious tone and refused to frame it as a title race: “Not at all. Today we are in a situation where we have a clear and stated ambition, but above all one that is achievable. The players understand the steps we must reach to achieve our goals. We will move forward step by step. Our first milestone is reached — 52 points — and now the objective is to qualify for European competition, starting with the Conference League. Each win will bring us closer to a more prestigious competition. It’s important to think in terms of points, not league position.”
