Sevilla and RC Lens will put aside their poor starts to the domestic campaign as they clash in their opening Group D fixture in the UEFA Champions League. The Spanish side have a solid reputation and plenty of experience in European competitions which should give them the upper hand on Wednesday.
Sevilla are once again in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League after winning the Europa League last season. They beat Italian side Roma in the final to secure a record extending seventh title in the competition.
The Spanish side may have a reputation in Europe but have struggled domestically in recent times. Jose Luis Mendilibar’s men have picked up just one win in La Liga this season and are currently battling near the foot of the table.
The good news for Sevilla is that their only win this season came last weekend as they picked up a 1-0 victory over Las Palmas. They will be particularly pleased with their defensive displays with veteran centre-back Sergio Ramos impressing on his first appearance.
RC Lens are not overly experienced in the Champions League having made only two previous group stage appearances. They featured in the 1998-99 and 2002-2003 competitions, failing to reach the knockout phase in both editions.
Given their poor start to the season, Lens could be set for a similar campaign this time around. They are without a single win in Ligue 1 this season and travel to Sevilla off the back of a 1-0 home defeat to Metz last weekend.
While Lens have looked vulnerable at the back this season, the major problem is a lack of cutting edge in attack. Franck Haise’s side lost Lois Openda and Seko Fofana in the summer and have struggled to find their rhythm in front of goal, failing to score in their last two matches.
How the bookies view it
The bookies have installed Sevilla as overwhelming favourites with a home win priced at 10/11 by BoyleSports. An unlikely victory for RC Lens is valued at 3/1 by BoyleSports while William Hill is offering odds of 27/10 for a draw.
Head to head
This will be the first ever meeting between Sevilla and RC Lens.
Players to watch
With RC Lens struggling in attack, Sevilla will be looking to replicate their defensive display in the win last weekend. Sergio Ramos has already shown the importance of his experience and can lead the Spanish side to a clean sheet at 8/5 with 10bet.
At the other end of the pitch, Sevilla have multiple attacking threats, although Youssef En-Nesyri often leads the line. The Moroccan striker was on target in the UEFA Super Cup and could be worth keeping an eye on at 17/10 with William Hill.
Anything else catch the eye?
With Sevilla coming off a solid defensive display and Lens struggling for goals at the moment, BTTS NO could be considered at 21/20 with BetVictor. Wednesday’s clash is unlikely to be a high scoring encounter, so under 2.5 goals could also be considered.
Sevilla are expected to win and keep a clean sheet which means a win to nil could be on the cards at 23/10 with BetVictor.
This UEFA Champions League match between Sevilla and RC Lens will be played on Sep 20, 2023 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Sevilla vs RC Lens prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
