2021–22 RC Lens season

RC Lens
2021–22 season
President	Joseph Oughourlian
Head coach	Franck Haise
Stadium	Stade Bollaert-Delelis
Ligue 1	7th
Coupe de France	Round of 16
Top goalscorer	League: ; Arnaud Kalimuendo (12); All: ; Arnaud Kalimuendo (13)
	← 2020–21 2022–23 →

The 2021–22 season was the 116th season in the existence of RC Lens and the club's second consecutive season in the top flight of French football. In addition to the domestic league, Lens participated in this season's edition of the Coupe de France.

Players

First team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
16	GK	FRA	Jean-Louis Leca
18	MF	FRA	Yannick Cahuzac (captain)
20	MF	POR	David Costa
21	DF	MLI	Massadio Haïdara
22	FW	FRA	Wesley Saïd
24	DF	FRA	Jonathan Gradit
25	FW	FRA	Corentin Jean
28	MF	MLI	Cheick Doucouré
29	MF	POL	Przemysław Frankowski
30	GK	POR	Valentino Lesieur
33	FW	FRA	Ibrahima Baldé
35	DF	FRA	Adrien Louveau
40	GK	COM	Yannick Pandor

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	FRA	Adam Oudjani (on loan at Stade Briochin)
—	FW	COD	Simon Banza (on loan at Famalicão)
—	FW	FRA	Boubakar Camara (on loan at Le Mans)
—	FW	FRA	Mohamed Cissé (on loan at Orléans)
—	FW	FRA	Gaëtan Robail (on loan at Valenciennes)

Transfers

In

Out

Pre-season and friendlies

Win Draw Loss Fixtures

v

Standard Liège

7 July 2021 Friendly	Lens	1–1	Standard Liège	Billy-Montigny, France
15:00 CEST (UTC+2)		Report		Stadium: Stade Paul Guerre

v

Union SG

9 July 2021 Friendly	Lens	0–1	Union SG	Billy-Montigny, France
15:00 CEST (UTC+2)		Report		Stadium: Stade Paul Guerre

v

Le Havre

17 July 2021 Friendly	Lens	2–2	Le Havre	Le Touquet, France
15:30 CEST (UTC+2)	Banza 3', 58'	Report	Alioui 16' (pen.) Gibaud 39'	Stadium: Stade Ferdi Petit
Note: The match was played in two halves 30 minutes each.

v

Le Havre

17 July 2021 Friendly	Lens	2–2	Le Havre	Le Touquet, France
16:45 CEST (UTC+2)	Oudjani 23' Ganago 52'	Report	Thiaré 12' Abdelli 60'	Stadium: Stade Ferdi Petit
Note: The match was played in two halves 30 minutes each.

v

Lens

24 July 2021 Friendly	Reims	1–2	Lens	Boulogne-sur-Mer, France
11:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Ekitike 24'	Report	Banza 43' (pen.) Wooh 85'	Stadium: Stade de la Libération

v

Lens

24 July 2021 Friendly	Reims	1–1	Lens	Boulogne-sur-Mer, France
14:30 CEST (UTC+2)	Donis 56' (pen.)	Report	Cissé 20'	Stadium: Stade de la Libération

v

Udinese

31 July 2021 Friendly	Lens	4–1	Udinese	Lens, France
18:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Wooh 13' Boura 16' Clauss 26' Banza 45+2' Costa 89'	Report	Makengo 43' Samir 77'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Referee: Thomas Léonard

v

Dunkerque

2 September 2021 Friendly	Lens	3–4	Dunkerque	Avion, France
--:-- CEST (UTC+2)		Report		Stadium: La Gaillette Attendance: 0

v

Zulte Waregem

11 November 2021 Friendly	Lens	3–3	Zulte Waregem	Avion, France
--:-- CET (UTC+1)		Report		Stadium: La Gaillette Attendance: 0

Competitions

Overall record

Competition	First match	Last match	Starting round	Final position	Record
Competition	First match	Last match	Starting round	Final position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Ligue 1	8 August 2021	21 May 2022	Matchday 1	7th	38	17	11	10	62	48	+14	044.74
Coupe de France	19 December 2021	30 January 2022	Round of 64	Round of 16	3	1	1	1	5	6	−1	033.33
Total					41	18	12	11	67	54	+13	043.90

Source: Soccerway

Ligue 1

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
5	Nice	38	20	7	11	52	36	+16	66^[a]	Qualification for the Europa Conference League play-off round
6	Strasbourg	38	17	12	9	60	43	+17	63
7	Lens	38	17	11	10	62	48	+14	62
8	Lyon	38	17	11	10	66	51	+15	61^[b]
9	Nantes	38	15	10	13	55	48	+7	55	Qualification for the Europa League group stage^[c]

Source: Ligue 1
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Head-to-head points; 4) Head-to-head goal difference; 5) Head-to-head goals scored; 6) Head-to-head away goals scored; 7) Goals scored; 8) Away goals scored; 9) Fair-play points (Note: Head-to-head record is used only after all the matches between the teams in question have been played).^[3]
Notes:

Pozdro dla wszystkich Grzybiarzy

Results summary


Overall								Home						Away
Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
38	17	11	10	62	48	+14	62	9	7	3	35	20	+15	8	4	7	27	28	−1

Source: Ligue 1

Results by round

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38
Ground	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H	A	H	A	H	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	H	A	A	H
Result	D	D	W	D	W	W	L	W	W	L	W	L	W	L	D	D	D	L	L	W	W	L	L	W	D	W	L	D	W	L	W	W	W	D	D	W	W	D
Position	8	8	6	6	5	3	4	2	2	2	2	4	2	4	5	5	5	6	9	6	6	9	9	8	10	6	10	9	8	10	8	7	7	7	8	7	7	7

Source: Ligue 1
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

The league fixtures were announced on 25 June 2021.^[4]^[5]

8 August 2021 1	Rennes	1–1	Lens	Rennes
13:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Sulemana 14'	Report	Fofana 19', 36' Machado 55'	Stadium: Roazhon Park Attendance: 22,567 Referee: Bastien Dechepy

15 August 2021 2	Lens	2–2	Saint-Étienne	Lens
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Medina 18' Ganago 36' Fofana 77'	Report	Khazri 1' Hamouma 29' Sow 41' Bouanga 52', 57' Gourna-Douath 85' Maçon 86'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 35,541 Referee: Amaury Delerue

21 August 2021 3	Monaco	0–2	Lens	Monaco
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Pavlović 83' Golovin 86'	Report	Ganago 51' Doucouré 61' Leca 61' Banza 90+4'	Stadium: Stade Louis II Attendance: 6,483 Referee: Jérémie Pignard

29 August 2021 4	Lens	2–2	Lorient	Lens
15:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Danso 18' Clauss 24' Fofana 70' Medina 75'	Report	Abergel 6' Fontaine 12' Silva 23' Laurienté 27' Monconduit 35' Nardi 59'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 35,029 Referee: Willy Delajod

12 September 2021 5	Bordeaux	2–3	Lens	Bordeaux
15:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Mangas 60' Onana 78', 88' Otávio 90' Gregersen 90+5'	Report	Kakuta 39' Medina 43' Gradit 49' Sotoca 90+6' (pen.), 90+7'	Stadium: Matmut Atlantique Attendance: 19,763 Referee: Luis Godinho

18 September 2021 6	Lens	1–0	Lille	Lens
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Leca 56' Frankowski 74' Sotoca 88'	Report	Mandava 21' Çelik 90+4'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 36,512 Referee: Benoît Millot

22 September 2021 7	Lens	0–1	Strasbourg	Lens
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Doucouré 11' Danso 50' Kalimuendo 77'	Report	Djiku 56' Diallo 63' Ajorque 67' Le Marchand 85'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 0 Referee: Jérémy Stinat

26 September 2021 8	Marseille	2–3	Lens	Marseille
20:45 CEST (UTC+2)	Gueye 7' Guendouzi 7' Payet 33', 45+2' (pen.)	Report	Sotoca 9' Frankowski 27' Saïd 71', 90+3'	Stadium: Stade Vélodrome Attendance: 50,001 Referee: Mikael Lesage

1 October 2021 9	Lens	2–0	Reims	Lens
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Medina 26' Danso 34' Kalimuendo 45+1' (pen.), 52' Kakuta 57'	Report	Ekitike 45' Abdelhamid 58'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 0 Referee: Benoît Bastien

17 October 2021 10	Montpellier	1–0	Lens	Montpellier
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Mavididi 47' Chotard 58' Estève 67' Ferri 68' 87'	Report	Wooh 29' Costa 62' Jean 77' Saïd 81'	Stadium: Stade de la Mosson Attendance: 12,474 Referee: Florent Batta

24 October 2021 11	Lens	4–1	Metz	Lens
15:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Saïd 14', 37' Leca 65' Ganago 83', 87' Frankowski 90'	Report	Pajot 20' De Préville 33' Maïga 39' N'Doram 53'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 35,673 Referee: Jérémie Pignard

30 October 2021 12	Lyon	2–1	Lens	Décines-Charpieu
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Paquetá 10' Toko Ekambi 25' (pen.) Aouar 41'	Report	Sotoca 38' Clauss 54' Kalimuendo 61'	Stadium: Parc Olympique Lyonnais Attendance: 50,373 Referee: Mikael Lesage

5 November 2021 13	Lens	4–0	Troyes	Lens
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Kalimuendo 14' Saïd 29' Clauss 35' Frankowski 61' Ganago 69'	Report	Rodrigues 74'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 35,706 Referee: Thomas Léonard

21 November 2021 14	Brest	4–0	Lens	Brest
13:00 CET (UTC+1)	Mounié 3' Chardonnet 13' Faivre 33' Duverne 58' Le Douaron 69'	Report	Medina 36' Kalimuendo 74' Doucouré 76'	Stadium: Stade Francis-Le Blé Attendance: 12,462 Referee: Eric Wattellier

26 November 2021 15	Lens	2–2	Angers	Lens
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Kakuta 48' Sotoca 55' Doucouré 57' Clauss 80'	Report	Boufal 40' Thomas 70'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 35,713 Referee: Johan Hamel

1 December 2021 16	Clermont	2–2	Lens	Clermont-Ferrand
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Gastien 9' Ogier 38' Magnin 41' Bayo 65' Hamel 81' Diaby 84' Dossou 86'	Report	Gastien 12' (o.g.) Danso 15' Haïdara 36' Fofana 47' Clauss 56' Frankowski 69' Jean 90+5'	Stadium: Stade Gabriel Montpied Attendance: 11,948 Referee: Amaury Delerue

4 December 2021 17	Lens	1–1	Paris Saint-Germain	Lens
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Medina 47' Fofana 62' Gradit 90+2'	Report	Verratti 63' Hakimi 90' Wijnaldum 90+1'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 36,685 Referee: François Letexier

10 December 2021 18	Nantes	3–2	Lens	Nantes
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Girotto 31' Kolo Muani 49', 57' Blas 60' Chirivella 76' Simon 90'	Report	Costa 7' Kalimuendo 15' Haïdara 46' Gradit 60' Medina 61'	Stadium: Stade de la Beaujoire Attendance: 21,890 Referee: Stephanie Frappart

22 December 2021 19	Nice	2–1	Lens	Nice
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Lemina 63' Kluivert 79'	Report	Haïdara 23' Kalimuendo 30' Gradit 90+1'	Stadium: Allianz Riviera Attendance: 22,065 Referee: Jérôme Brisard

8 January 2022 20	Lens	1–0	Rennes	Lens
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Medina 16' Saïd 89'	Report		Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Benoît Bastien

15 January 2022 21	Saint-Étienne	1–2	Lens	Saint-Étienne
17:00 CET (UTC+1)	Boudebouz 37' Gabriel Silva 90'	Report	Gradit 30' Sotoca 76' Fofana 90+5'	Stadium: Stade Geoffroy-Guichard Attendance: 5,000 Referee: François Letexier

22 January 2022 22	Lens	0–2	Marseille	Lens
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Danso 20' Medina 32' Sotoca 49'	Report	Payet 34' (pen.) Peres 71' Bakambu 77' Lirola 86'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Stéphanie Frappart

6 February 2022 23	Lorient	2–0	Lens	Lorient
13:00 CET (UTC+1)	Soumano 43' Koné 76'	Report	Wooh 45+1' Cahuzac 77' Haïdara 79' Frankowski 87'	Stadium: Stade du Moustoir Attendance: 10,687 Referee: Romain Lissorgue

13 February 2022 24	Lens	3–2	Bordeaux	Lens
17:05 CET (UTC+1)	Kalimuendo 10' Kakuta 22' (pen.) Fofana 26' Doucouré 45' Sotoca 61' Frankowski 89'	Report	Elis 33' Hwang 53', 54' Guilavogui 61'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 32,662 Referee: François Letexier

19 February 2022 25	Lens	1–1	Lyon	Lens
17:00 CET (UTC+1)	Clauss 13'	Report	Kadewere 44' Emerson 70' Dubois 84'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 36,624 Referee: Jérôme Brisard

27 February 2022 26	Angers	1–2	Lens	Angers
15:00 CET (UTC+1)	Fulgini 49' Mendy 58' Cho 60' 69' Boufal 72'	Report	Doucouré 31' Danso 40' Mendy 73' (o.g.) Clauss 76' Frankowski 89'	Stadium: Stade Raymond Kopa Attendance: 9,499 Referee: Thomas Léonard

5 March 2022 27	Lens	0–1	Brest	Lens
17:00 CET (UTC+1)	Medina 67'	Report	Belkebla 54' Honorat 59'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 36,305 Referee: Johan Hamel

13 March 2022 28	Metz	0–0	Lens	Metz
15:00 CET (UTC+1)	Boulaya 15' De Préville 19' Sarr 43' Kouyaté 78' N'Doram 89'	Report	Sotoca 58' Danso 64'	Stadium: Stade Saint-Symphorien Attendance: 15,687 Referee: Amaury Delerue

19 March 2022 29	Lens	3–1	Clermont	Lens
17:00 CET (UTC+1)	Danso 39' Sotoca 45+3' Haïdara 58', 82'	Report	Rashani 9' Dossou 89'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 36,182 Referee: Jérémy Stinat

3 April 2022 30	Strasbourg	1–0	Lens	Strasbourg
13:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Guilbert 5' Liénard 27' Aholou 37' Ajorque 67' (pen.) Gameiro 71'	Report	Doucouré 30'	Stadium: Stade de la Meinau Attendance: 26,005 Referee: François Letexier

10 April 2022 31	Lens	3–0	Nice	Lens
17:05 CEST (UTC+2)	Haïdara 17' Doucouré 31', 55' Kalimuendo 51', 67' Sotoca 66'	Report	Guessand 38' Gouiri 45+3' Lemina 50' 57' Dante 90+2'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 36,668 Referee: Willy Delajod

16 April 2022 32	Lille	1–2	Lens	Villeneuve-d'Ascq
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Xeka 18', 45+1' David 29' Sanches 45+3'	Report	Frankowski 4' Kalimuendo 37' Gradit 45+3' Cahuzac 90'	Stadium: Stade Pierre-Mauroy Attendance: 48,169 Referee: Jérôme Brisard

20 April 2022 33	Lens	2–0	Montpellier	Lens
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Costa 37', 70' Ganago 75'	Report		Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 36,250 Referee: Romain Lissorgue

23 April 2022 34	Paris Saint-Germain	1–1	Lens	Paris
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Ramos 54' Messi 68' Verratti 73' Marquinhos 78' Neymar 90'	Report	Danso 9' 57' Jean 88'	Stadium: Parc des Princes Attendance: 47,000 Referee: Amaury Delerue

30 April 2022 35	Lens	2–2	Nantes	Lens
17:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Leca 19' Costa 67' Kalimuendo 81' (pen.)	Report	Simon 8', 32' Pereira 53' Cyprien 62' Moutoussamy 74' Pallois 80' Lafont 81'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 36,727 Referee: Thomas Léonard

8 May 2022 36	Reims	1–2	Lens	Reims
15:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Zeneli 28' Matusiwa 61'	Report	Sotoca 56' Medina 72' Fofana 90+1', 90+2'	Stadium: Stade Auguste-Delaune Attendance: 16,962 Referee: Vítor Ferreira

14 May 2022 37	Troyes	1–3	Lens	Troyes
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Kaboré 9' Biancone 14'	Report	Medina 19' Danso 42' Kalimuendo 45' Clauss 71' Frankowski 78'	Stadium: Stade de l'Aube Attendance: 18,643 Referee: François Letexier

21 May 2022 38	Lens	2–2	Monaco	Lens
21:00 CEST (UTC+2)	Frankowski 30' Danso 32' Gradit 84' Ganago 90+5'	Report	Badiashile 34' Ben Yedder 62' Volland 84' Tchouaméni 86' Caio 88'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 37,764 Referee: Benoît Bastien

Coupe de France

19 December 2021 Round of 64	Stade Poitevin FC	0–1	Lens	Poitiers
13:45 CET (UTC+1)	Neto 38' Cattier 90'	Report	Ganago 36' Wooh 90+2'	Stadium: Stade Michel-Amand Attendance: 4,876 Referee: Jérôme Miguelgorry

4 January 2022 Round of 32	Lens	2–2 (4–3 p)	Lille	Lens
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Fofana 67', 90+5', 90+6'	Report	Onana 28', 33' Mandava 72' Grbić 90'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Willy Delajod
	Penalties
	Saïd Kakuta Jean Clauss Fofana		Bamba Fonte Botman Pied Sanches

30 January 2022 Round of 16	Lens	2–4	Monaco	Lens
21:00 CET (UTC+1)	Saïd 45' Kalimuendo 53'	Report	Ben Yedder 18', 88' Jean Lucas 27' Diop 29' Golovin 72'	Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Eric Wattellier

Statistics

Appearances and goals

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Ligue 1		Coupe de France
No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Goalkeepers
1	GK	VEN	Wuilker Faríñez	13	0	11	0	2	0
16	GK	FRA	Jean-Louis Leca	28	0	27	0	1	0
30	GK	POR	Valentino Lesieur	0	0	0	0	0	0
40	GK	COM	Yannick Pandor	0	0	0	0	0	0
Defenders
3	DF	COL	Deiver Machado	22	0	5+17	0	0	0
4	DF	AUT	Kevin Danso	36	2	32+1	2	0+3	0
5	DF	CMR	Christopher Wooh	16	0	11+3	0	2	0
11	DF	FRA	Jonathan Clauss	40	5	35+2	5	3	0
14	DF	ARG	Facundo Medina	34	1	30+1	1	3	0
21	DF	MLI	Massadio Haïdara	21	1	12+8	1	1	0
24	DF	FRA	Jonathan Gradit	37	0	35	0	1+1	0
35	DF	FRA	Adrien Louveau	0	0	0	0	0	0
Midfielders
6	MF	NOR	Patrick Berg	16	3	2+12	3	0+2	0
8	MF	CIV	Seko Fofana	41	10	38	8	3	2
10	MF	COD	Gaël Kakuta	31	3	20+9	3	1+1	0
18	MF	FRA	Yannick Cahuzac	17	0	6+11	0	0	0
20	MF	POR	David Costa	36	3	16+17	3	1+2	0
27	MF	SCO	Charles Boli	4	0	0+4	0	0	0
28	MF	MLI	Cheick Doucouré	37	1	33+1	1	3	0
29	MF	POL	Przemysław Frankowski	40	6	28+9	6	2+1	0
33	MF	SEN	Mamadou Camara	0	0	0	0	0	0
34	MF	FRA	Jonathan Varane	1	0	0+1	0	0	0
Forwards
7	FW	FRA	Florian Sotoca	38	6	28+7	6	3	0
9	FW	CMR	Ignatius Ganago	29	6	11+17	5	1	1
15	FW	FRA	Arnaud Kalimuendo	35	13	27+5	12	1+2	1
22	FW	FRA	Wesley Saïd	23	6	7+14	5	1+1	1
25	FW	FRA	Corentin Jean	20	1	1+16	1	1+2	0
33	FW	FRA	Ibrahima Baldé	7	0	0+4	0	3	0
	FW	GUI	Jules Keita	0	0	0	0	0	0
Players transferred out during the season
19	DF	COM	Ismaël Boura	5	0	1+4	0	0	0
15	DF	CPV	Steven Fortès	1	0	1	0	0	0
	MF	FRA	Tom Ducrocq	0	0	0	0	0	0
	MF	FRA	Adam Oudjani	0	0	0	0	0	0
23	FW	COD	Simon Banza	4	1	1+3	1	0	0
	FW	FRA	Boubakar Camara	0	0	0	0	0	0
	FW	FRA	Gaëtan Robail	0	0	0	0	0	0