The match of matchday 17 of the Ligue 1 between Toulouse and RC Lens will take place on 2 January at the Stadium of Toulouse. Toulouse vs RC Lens: prediction, betting odds and statistics.
Toulouse
Toulouse enjoyed a strong December. At the start of the month the home side beat Strasbourg 1:0, then on the road the team thrashed Paris 3:0. Interestingly, in the current campaign the squad, coached by Carles Martinez, recorded three separate two-match winning runs and also managed a run of three consecutive wins at another point. The team rose to eighth place in the table and is only four points from the European places, while in their last seven Ligue 1 matches the club suffered just one defeat (2 wins and 4 draws).
- The team has not lost in 5 of its last 6 home league matches (2 wins and 3 draws).
- Toulouse did not concede more than one goal in 7 of their last 10 home Ligue 1 matches.
- The club has not lost in the second half in 13 consecutive home league matches – 4 wins and 9 draws.
Potential Toulouse Lineup (3-4-2-1)*
Guillaume Rest – Rasmus Nicolaisen, Charlie Cresswell, Mark McKenzie – Djibril Sidibé, Deiann Metal, Alexis Vossa, Cristian Casseres – Yann Gboo, Santiago Hidalgo – Emersonn Correia da Silva.
Midfielder Frank Magri and forward Xhavi Babicka are at AFCON 2025. Midfielder Abou Francis remains sidelined with injury.
RC Lens
RC Lens are the winter champions of the Ligue 1. The informal title was secured in the last round after a home win over Nice by 2:0. The team enjoyed a six-match winning streak in the championship, which propelled them to first place and left them one point clear of nearest rivals Paris Saint-Germain. In addition, Lens's defence is the best in the French top flight so far, having conceded only 13 goals.
- 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 team conceded in 11 of its last 12 away Ligue 1 matches.
Potential RC Lens Lineup (3-4-2-1)*
Ruben Risser – Malang Sarr, Samson Baidoo, Pierre Ganiu – Matthieu Udol, Adrien Thomasson, Mamadou Sangaré, Ruben Aguilar – Wesley Said, Florian Thauvin – Odsonne Edouard.
Midfielder Mamadou Sangaré is with his national team. Defenders Jonathan Gradit and Joanner Chaves are out injured.
Referee
Mathieu Vernis (France)
Matches – 5 (Ligue 1, 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 24;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.8;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 31;
Penalties – 20%.
Toulouse vs RC Lens: Match Prediction
Despite leading the table, bookmakers still do not rate the visitors on the same level as Paris Saint-Germain and for the upcoming match are offering rather high odds for RC Lens to win. This is an opportunity to take advantage of. RC Lens are in incredible form and have won 9 of their last 10 Ligue 1 matches. It is unlikely the team will lose momentum during the two-week break and start the new year with a defeat.
We note that Toulouse has lacked consistency, and two wins in a row represent the club's current ceiling. Even at home the club drops points regularly and can easily lose not only to top teams but also to mid-table sides. In their last 17 home Ligue 1 matches Toulouse has recorded only 4 wins (6 draws and 7 defeats). In addition, we note that in the last eight head-to-head league meetings Toulouse has beaten this opponent only once (1 draw and 6 defeats).
Prediction: RC Lens Draw No Bet
* For each side the starting lineup shown is from its previous match in this competition.
