Franck Haise describes Lens’ season as ‘terribly difficult’

It has been a long and difficult season for RC Lens. No one expected Franck Haise’s side to match their achievement last season, where they ran Paris Saint-Germain to within one point of the Ligue 1 title, however, few would have expected a season so arduous for Les Sang et Or. 

Rock-bottom heading into the first international break in September, Lens bounced back, buoyed by some positive performances in the UEFA Champions League. However, Lens are ending the season just as they started it – poorly. After slipping to a late defeat against Olympique de Marseille on Sunday (2-1), Haise’s side have just one win in their last six matches. 

However, miraculously, Lens are still in European contention. Currently sixth, they occupy the final European qualification spot. They have a two-point cushion to Marseille but are now five points adrift of OGC Nice with three games remaining. Haise has sought to rally his troops ahead of this crucial run-in after what has been a “terribly difficult” season. 

“Last season, we flew. This season, we have flown but we have also slipped up. When we flew, we were together, when we slip up, we do so together too […] I hope that we’ll have a happy ending to a season that will have been so terribly difficult. If we have a happy ending, it’s what we would have deserved and the players are putting in maximum effort to that end,” reacted Haise after the defeat to OM. This season could yet have a silver lining and a European qualification. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle