TOPS
Como in butter
Football seemed too easy with this Como team (loss of RC Lens this Wednesday, 9-1). And the general public understands better why the Comasques are 4th in Serie A. The players of Cesc Fabregas, former glory of FC Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea and past Monaco, recited their game. A treat to see them evolve at this level. With three victories in four C1 matches (only one defeat against Feyenoord), the Lombards can dream bigger.
Skip the ad
Douvikas in an armchair
His sense of positioning, his opportunism and his realism completed the Lens defense. Starting up front, the Greek striker scored three goals this evening and provided an assist. On his first two achievements, Douvikas did not have to force his talent. But on his third and final goal, he perfectly deceived the local defense with a good call and a strike which left Risser no chance. Very big tonight.
Da Cunha gets thicker
The Frenchman with his meteoric rise never ceases to impress. Called up by Zinédine Zidane to play in the match against Belgium, Da Cunha was once again great this evening. The captain of the day was clean on his ball exits, was very active offensively but also defensively and was even rewarded with a nice goal just after half-time. To think that he was only playing in Ligue 2 four years ago...
Paz already has all the makings of a great
The big European clubs are already giving him a look. Logic. The 22-year-old Argentinian was in all the good moves of his team. He offers a goal to Da Cunha (47th), scores a powerful one (40th) but above all did very badly thanks to his movements, his dribbling technique and his ability to keep the ball. His opening for Valle on the first goal is magnificent. Nico Paz already has everything he needs to be great.
Miguel's tribute to Jesus
Nico Paz is already a formidable football player. He is also a man full of class. After his goal, the Argentine released a t-shirt in tribute to Jesus de Miguel, the Spanish striker from Tenerife who died this Tuesday morning, following a violent collision with the Andorra goalkeeper, in a second division match. From 2014 to 2016, Paz wore the Tenerife jersey.
The courage of the Lensois supporters
Hats off to the Lensois supporters. If some left the cauldron immediately, a majority remained in the bays. For that alone: well done. These supporters do not deserve players who, tonight, did not fight for the jersey.
Skip the ad
FLOPS
Lens just not up to par
Of abysmal weakness. At this level of competition, it is unthinkable to see such a score. The Lensois did not exist. Certainly, Como is far from being a bad team. But if not lacking in qualities, you must at least put heart, desire and aggressiveness into it. What the Sang et Or did not do. Needless to say, this is the biggest setback in the history of the home club and even of a French club... In all the different European Cups. According to Opta, Lens is even the first team in the history of the C1 to concede nine goals at home.
Also read Champions League: Lens humiliated in historic proportions by Como
If PSG is a hit with all the teams - with much greater resources than the other French clubs, obviously - we can legitimately question the level of the French teams involved in the Champions League. You just have to look at the rankings to see it. Lille is 35th and penultimate, just ahead of Bratislava. Lens comes in at 33rd position, just ahead of Prague and behind Feyenoord. Even the Azerbaijani club Sabah or the Norwegian club Viking are ahead. The shame. And the Lensoise performance of the evening will not help to get back on track.
A forgotten revolt in the locker room
In the second half, Cahuzac decided to launch the Saudi Saud Abdulhamid and the very young Mezian Mesloub (16 years old). For a semblance of revolt? Not even. Da Cunha's goal from the restart dampened all Lensois hopes. What followed was just a nightmare. The Sang et Or did not try anything, apart from this personal exploit from Aguilar, did not even take risks or put more intensity in the pressing and in the defensive interventions. Incomprehensible.
Skoras' Nightmare
The Pole delivered a catastrophic 45 minutes. Skoras is at fault for the Italians' first two or even three goals. The former Bruges or La Gantoise loses an interesting ball (44th), delivers a bad pass (39th) and seemed lost defensively. On the first goal, he doesn't go up quickly enough and stops on the second. A very complicated part.
Skip the ad
…And totally absent leaders
Running into Skoras would be too easy. Where were the Lensois leaders this evening? Thauvin couldn't do anything. Even as captain, he could not lead his people with his speech. In defense, Udol took the water. Aguilar is saved by his goal. Haïdara also experienced a nightmare. Hazard was invisible. Risser was completely abandoned by his teammates. In the corridors of Bollaert, things will shake this week.
