The 17th-round match of the Ligue 1 between Toulouse and Lens will take place on 2 January at Stadium Toulouse. Toulouse vs Lens: prediction, betting odds and statistics.
Toulouse
Toulouse had an excellent December. At the start of the month the home side beat Strasbourg 1:0, then they thrashed Paris 3:0 away. Notably, Toulouse have recorded three separate two-match winning runs this season, while they also won three consecutive league matches on one occasion. Toulouse moved up to 8th in the table and are only 4 points off the European qualification places. It is also worth noting that the club suffered only 1 defeat in their last 7 Ligue 1 matches (2 wins and 4 draws).
- The home side remained unbeaten in 5 of their last 6 league home matches (2 wins and 3 draws).
- Toulouse conceded more than one goal in only 3 of their last 10 home Ligue 1 matches.
- The club has not lost in the second half in 13 consecutive league home matches – 4 wins and 9 draws.
Potential Toulouse Lineup (3-4-2-1)*
Guillaume Rest – Rasmus Nicolaisen, Charlie Cresswell, Marc McKenzie – Djibril Sidibé, Deiann Metcal, Alexis Vossa, Cristian Casseres – Yann Gboho, Santiago Hidalgo – Emerson Correa da Silva.
Midfielder Franck Magri and forward Xavi Babic are at AFCON 2025. Midfielder Abu Francis remains sidelined; midfielder Deiann Metcal also joined him on the casualty list yesterday.
Lens
Lens sit atop the Ligue 1 during the winter break. The provisional title was secured in the last round after a 2:0 home win over Nice. The club have enjoyed a six-match winning run in the league, which lifted them to first place, one point clear of their nearest rival Paris Saint-Germain. It is also worth highlighting Lens's defence, which is currently the best in the French top flight – only 13 goals conceded.
- Exactly two or three goals were scored in 8 of the club's last 10 Ligue 1 matches.
- Lens scored at least two goals in 8 of their last 10 league games.
- The away side conceded in 11 of their last 12 Ligue 1 away matches.
Potential Lens Lineup (3-4-2-1)*
Ruben Risser – Malang Sarr, Samson Baidoo, Pierre Ganiou – Matthieu Udol, Adrien Thomasson, Mamadou Sangare, Ruben Aguilar – Wesley Said, Florian Toven – Odsonne Edouard.
Mamadou Sangare is with his national team. Defenders Jonathan Gradie and Joanner Chavez are out injured.
Referee
Mathieu Vernis (France)
Matches – 5 (Ligue 1, 2025/26);
Yellow/Red Cards Shown (including seconds) – 24;
Average Yellow/Red Cards Per Match – 4.8;
Red Cards Shown – 1;
Fouls Per Match Average – 31;
Penalties – 20%.
Toulouse vs Lens: Match Prediction
Despite being top of the table, bookmakers still do not rate the visitors on the same level as Paris Saint-Germain and offer relatively high returns for Pierre Saha's side in the upcoming match. This is something to take advantage of. Lens are in incredible form and have won 9 of their last 10 Ligue 1 matches. It is unlikely that the team will lose form over the two-week break and begin the new year with a defeat.
Toulouse have not shown consistent form, and two consecutive wins remain their seasonal high. Even at home the club frequently drops points and can easily lose not only to the top teams but also to mid-table opposition. In their last 17 home Ligue 1 matches Toulouse have managed only 4 wins (6 draws and 7 defeats). In addition, Toulouse have beaten this opponent only once in the last 8 league head-to-head meetings (1 draw and 6 defeats).
Prediction: Lens Draw No Bet
*
For each team the starting lineup shown is the one from their previous match in this tournament.