Lens vs Freiburg Prediction: Fourth straight defeat for Streich?

The first leg of the UEFA Europa League play-off round tie between RC Lens and SC Freiburg takes place on Thursday evening (KO, 20:00), with the French side hosts at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

Lens dropped down to European club football's second-tier competition as a result of finishing third in a Champions League group containing Arsenal, PSV and bottom-club Sevilla, while Freiburg finished behind West Ham, but ahead of Olympiacos and TSC, in their Europa League group.

The German side are seventh in the Bundesliga, just behind the European places, but have lost their last three games, conceding three in each. Lens, meanwhile, have won their last three and now sit sixth in Ligue 1 after a turbulent start to the season.

Team News

Lens are still without Colombia wing-back Deiver Machado, who hasn't played since December 2 due to injury.

Fellow left-sided defender Facundo Medina is also out of Thursday's tie through suspension and could be replaced by Massadio Haidara.

The visitors are without a number of players themselves, with Mattias Ginter, Manuel Gulde, Philipp Lienhart and Kenneth Schmidt all still injured.

Match Odds

Lens are 4/5 to win on Thursday and take the advantage heading into next week's second leg, with the draw at 11/4 and victory for Freiburg priced at 7/2.

Both teams to score is 4/5 and it's 5/6 for over 2.5 goals.

Lens to win and under 3.5 goals @ 11/8

The home side have won six of their last eight at home and have lost just twice in normal time at Stade Bollaert-Delelis all season. They also went undefeated there in the Champions League group stage, beating Arsenal and Sevilla.

Freiburg, meanwhile, are on the back of three straight defeats and have lost five of their last nine games. Christian Streich's side have also lost their last four away from home, shipping 11 goals in the process.

Lens look good for the win this week, and there's extra value in backing them to do so with under 3.5 goals scored in the game. Five of their eight victories at home this season have seen three or fewer goals scored, while Freiburg haven't conceded more than twice in a single European match this term.

Elye Wahi to score anytime @ 8/5

Lens' club-record signing has endured a difficult start to life in northern France after moving from Montpellier last summer, scoring just five times in 24 appearances.

However, two of those goals came in the Champions League group stage - both in home games against Arsenal and PSV - while he should be in a more confident mood after finding the net on the weekend against Strasbourg, his first goal since November 25.

Against a Freiburg side struggling in defence, Wahi could take advantage.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.