Europa League Knockout Play-Off: Lens vs Freiburg Odds
In Form Lens Host Flailing Freiburg
Freiburg Conceding At Alarming Rate
On Thursday, the Europa League returns and Lens will host Freiburg at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Lens started off the season in the Champions League and after finishing in third place in their group, they’ll contest the Europa League Knockout stage Play-off. Whichever team finishes with the better aggregate score over this home-and-away fixture will advance to the round of 16. While Lens have been in good form lately, Freiburg have been conceding at an alarming rate. With that in mind, we’ll go through the Lens vs Freiburg odds.
Lens vs. Freiburg 
Lens vs. Freiburg 
Date, time:
Location: Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France
Lens vs Freiburg Head-to-Head
This is the first-ever meeting between Lens and Freiburg on the Europa League schedule and the first matchup overall. In fact, this is only Freiburg’s second appearance in the knockout stage of UEFA sanctioned competition. Freiburg are 2-0 vs. French opposition, as they defeated Nantes twice last season.
Pereira da Costa Shining for Lens
While RC Lens might not be in the Ligue 1 title race, they’ve been a solid pick for soccer betting over the last few weeks. Lens have won their last three matches, including a 3-1 victory over Strasbourg last Saturday. David Pereira da Costa has been tearing up Ligue 1 in recent weeks. He was involved in all three goals vs. Freiburg and has scored in each of his last three games.
Elye Wahi, a fellow Summer signing, got on the scoresheet vs. Strasbourg as well. Wahi scored twice in the Champions League group stage, along with Angelo Fulgini. Lens went 2-2-2 in a tricky group which also included Arsenal, PSV and Sevilla. This is Lens’ first appearance in the Europa League since it was renamed.
Lens will hope that Costa can continue with his goalscoring form, as they’ve lacked a prolific goalscorer this season. No Lens player has scored more than five goals this season, in all competitions. However, Florian Sotoca does have 11 goal contributions, with five goals and six assists. Sotoca chipped the Strasbourg keeper on Saturday and is an important veteran leader on the team. With Facundo Medina suspended and Deiver Machado injured, the Lens vs Freiburg odds still price Lens as -130 favorites.
Free Falling Freiburg
Freiburg have floundered in recent weeks and Friday was another reminder that they have quite a lot of work to do to return to European competition next season. Borussia Dortmund completely outclassed Freiburg in a 3-0 Dortmund victory. Freiburg had few good chances in the match and they’ve lost their last three Bundesliga matches. With an 8-4-9 record, Freiburg are now in seventh place in the Bundesliga.
The group stage Europa League draw paired Freiburg with West Ham, Olympiacos and TSC Backa Topola. Freiburg lost twice to 2023 Conference League champions West Ham but won their other four matches. Now, they’re back in the Europa League knockout stage, where they lost 3-0 on aggregate to Juventus in the round of 16 last season.
Along with the losing streak, Freiburg have some injuries. Center back Manuel Gulde went off injured with a knee injury last weekend and won’t suit up for this one. Meanwhile, Matthias Ginter, Philipp Lienhart are out. Junior Adamu is working his way back but is listed as doubtful. With the form they’re in, Freiburg could certainly use a result here to stop the bleeding.
Lens vs Freiburg Match Analysis & Odds
Lens enter Thursday’s match as -130 favorites and they’ve won six of their last eight home matches, in all competitions. The Lens vs Freiburg odds also price the visitors as +340 underdogs and they’ve never before won a Europa League knockout stage match. Bettors can take Lens -0.5, -1 at -110 odds and Freiburg +0.5, +1 sits at -120.
On their losing streak, Freiburg have lost all three games by a multi-goal margin. They’ve conceded at least two goals in each of their last four matches and their defense has been struggling heavily. A draw is also priced at +290 odds, which would be a great result for Freiburg given their poor form.
Lens have the momentum coming into this one and will want to put away Freiburg before the second leg even begins. Lens have conceded just one goal in their last three games, in all European competitions, and under 2.5 goals are priced at -115 odds here.
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