Preview: Arsenal v RC Lens

We could qualify for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages with Wednesday’s game against RC Lens.

An 8pm kick-off at Emirates Stadium, a draw or win would guarantee us progression from the group stages, while a defeat would still see us go through with one game remaining if PSV lose to Sevilla.

If PSV fail to win and we avoid defeat, we will qualify as Group B winners.

But Lens have all to play for, currently third in the group and level on points with second-placed PSV.

Lens lowdown

Since we last met in early October, when Lens came from behind to earn a 2-1 win against us, Franck Haise’s side have had a positive run of results in Ligue 1.

They followed our Champions League meeting with draws against LOSC and Le Havre before putting four past Nantes without reply and drawing 0-0 with FC Lorient.

This month, Lens have earned 1-0 and 3-0 wins against Marseille and Clermont Foot respectively to climb to sixth in France’s top tier.

But in Europe, Lens drew 1-1 at home to PSV before losing 1-0 in the return fixture.

What the managers say
 

Arteta: “We want to be top of the group and the opportunity is there for us, against a team that causes problems, and that we’ve already experienced against them, so we have the right motivation to do that.

"We have to win at home, and we have to win the group if we can. That’s the mentality of the team, that’s for sure." Read every word of Mikel’s pre-Lens press conference here.

Haise: “The ambitions are always the same. We know that the opponent is stronger than us but that doesn't mean we won't be able to pose problems. We will have to raise our level of play in all aspects to try to compete.

"What is certain is that if we want to be there, we will have to be there with our usual principles, our arguments and our strengths."

Team news

Fabio Vieira, who is currently serving a red card suspension in the Premier League, is eligible to play in the Champions League, but will miss out after an operation on his groin.

Emile Smith Rowe and Thomas Partey will again miss out, as does Jurrien Timber following his ACL injury in our opening league game.

Lens defender Kevin Danso has recovered from injury to be available for Wednesday, and Elye Wahi is eligible to play as his recent sending-off in Ligue 1 only applies to domestic matches.

Talking tactics

Adrian Clarke: Haise has adjusted his team’s tactical approach for the group stage of this year’s competition. In Ligue 1 they are an outstanding pressing side, creating the second-highest number of high turnovers in France’s top flight. Yet in Europe they have been prepared to sit off a lot more, registering the fewest of all 32 teams. 

Despite this, Lens have lined up in a 3-4-2-1 in every match so far this season, so we’re unlikely to see a tactical surprise. Our opponents become narrow and compact whenever they lose possession, moving quickly to block off central areas with a midfield box of four. 

Then as soon as they regain possession, they try to break at pace, using their adventurous wing backs to provide width and quality ammunition from the flanks. Only three sides in the Champions League have delivered more crosses from open play than Lens, who rank joint-third for the most successful crosses.

They have conceded just three goals in eight matches in all competitions since we last met, but goals at the other end have been a real problem. Haise’s men are one of the lowest-scoring sides in the French top flight, and it has been a similar story in Europe. 

Of all the 25 teams to have scored at least four Champions League goals, they boast the second-worst shot-conversion rate at just 7.8 per cent.

Facts and stats

Wednesday’s game marks exactly five years since Bukayo Saka made his Arsenal debut in a 3-0 win away to Vorskla Poltava in the UEFA Europa League.

Saka has assisted three goals in four appearances in the Champions League this season, providing one in three different matches (v PSV, Lens and Sevilla). No English player has ever assisted more than three goals in a single Champions League campaign for us.

Should we win on Wednesday, it will be our 100th win in the Champions League (including qualifying matches).

All five of Lens’ previous European matches against English teams have come against us. Their last away game against us was in April 2000 in a UEFA Cup semi-final, when we won 1-0 at Highbury thanks to a Dennis Bergkamp goal.

All nine of our goals in the Champions League this season have been from open play, with only Atlético Madrid and Bayern Munich scoring as often from open play in the first four matchdays (also nine).

Match officials
 

Portuguese referee Artur Dias has been appointed to take charge of Wednesday’s game. He has overseen eight games in all competitions this season, handing out 44 yellow cards and two reds.

The last time he was appointed for an Arsenal game was in April 2021, when we lost 2-1 away to Villarreal in the Europa League. Both teams were reduced to ten men in that game as Dias sent off Dani Ceballos and Etienne Capoue.

• Referee: Artur Dias
• Assistants: Paulo Soares and Pedro Ribeiro
• Fourth official: Miguel Nogueira 
• VAR: Tiago Martins
• Assistant VAR: Hugo Miguel 

Previously at home to Lens

Lens last made the trip to north London to face us when we were playing at Highbury in April 2000.

It took Dennis Bergkamp just two minutes to open the scoring in the UEFA Cup semi-final first leg and we were able to hold onto the one-goal lead for the rest of the match.

We went on to win the second leg 2-1 in France to reach the final, which we lost on penalties to Galatasaray.

How to watch

Nick Bright and Adrian Clarke will bring you live coverage from the My Arsenal Rewards box for Wednesday's game. Professional wrestler Claudio Castagnoli also joins us pitchside at 7pm.

We’ll bring you all the headlines from Mikel Arteta's pre-match press conference, while Nigel Winterburn and Stephen Hughes, two of the squad from our first-ever Champions League match against Lens, join us in the studio.

There will also be a look back at the weekend’s win at Brentford and a discussion of everything you need to know about Lens, before live commentary for the match will be provided by Max Jones and Jeremie Aliadiere.