Less than three weeks before its big return to the Champions League, Racing Club de Lens (RCL) is giving serious signs of concern about its ability to compete on the prestigious European stage. The Sang et Or were outclassed 3-0 by AS Monaco on Saturday, September 2, during the 4th day of the French championship.

Beyond the defeat – the third in four games for Franck Haise’s men – the content of their performance is very disappointing. In defense of the Lensois, they had faced them with a Monegasque team in form since the start of the 2023-2024 Ligue 1 season.

Unlike the RCL, in full swing last spring (finishing in second place) and struggling at the start of this new exercise, the ASM is regaining its colors this summer after a plummeting end to last season (sixth place). In the meantime, the German Adi Hütter replaced the Belgian Philippe Clement as coach.

Monegasque recruits Balogun and Zakaria have made their debut

Against Lens, the club from the Principality was able to concretize its domination thanks to a header from the Ivorian defender Wilfried Singo. The 22-year-old, recruited this summer in Italy at the Torino club (against 10 million euros), rose higher than his vis-à-vis Massadio Haïdara to take back a corner kicked by Caio’s left foot Henrique (1-0, 24th).

The only Lensoise attempt on target in the first act was a free kick from Angelo Fulgini, but ASM goalkeeper Philipp Köhn intervened. A minute later, the Monegasques doubled the bet. After a recovery from Vanderson in the Lensois camp, Takumi Minamino progresses on the right side and serves Aleksandr Golovin in depth, who strikes without control and deceives Brice Samba at the near post (2-0, 36th).

Full of confidence, the locals added a new achievement in the second half, the second from a corner. This time, it was the Chilean Guillermo Maripan who sowed Kevin Danso to place his winning header, Caio Henrique offering himself a second assist (3-0, 59th).

Two notable summer signings then made their debut in the final quarter of an hour: American striker Folarin Balogun (signed from Arsenal for 30 million euros) and Swiss midfielder Denis Zakaria (transferred from Juventus Turin for 20 millions of euros). Additional arguments for the ASM ideally launched this season.

“We need to be ourselves again”

Unlike their previous match on the lawn of Paris Saint-Germain, RC Lens did not manage to close the gap at the end of the match. With this big victory, AS Monaco is already guaranteed to remain in the leader’s chair (10 points) until the next day, the weekend of September 16 and 17, after the international break.

At the other end of the ranking is the northern club (1 point). “We did not show the good face of Lens, we lacked unity”, regretted striker Wesley Saïd, questioned at the microphone of Canal at the end of the meeting. “When you concede two goals from set pieces, it’s not insignificant… We have to become ourselves again,” said his coach Franck Haise, acknowledging “a part of doubt”.

Earlier in the evening, the Breton derby between Stade Brestois and Stade Rennais had given birth to an unspectacular draw (0-0).