Ligue 1 2020/21: Nice vs Lens – tactical analysis

OGC Nice got their 2020/21 Ligue 1 campaign off to a positive start on Sunday as they managed to earn a 2-1 victory over newly-promoted RC Lens. 

Nice ended 2019/20 season in fifth place on the Ligue 1 table, while Lens ended last term as the second-placed side in France’s second-tier, however, this game was anything but a formality and after going behind in the 11th minute of the match, Nice had to wait until the 75th minute to finally get themselves in the lead. 

In this tactical analysis piece, we will look at the tactics that were deployed by both of these two sides in Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash and provide analysis of how the two teams’ respective tactical set-ups influenced this game. We will look at how newly-promoted Lens caused Nice problems throughout the game, both on and off the ball, and we will look at the tactics that helped Les Aiglons to ultimately find a way to limit Lens to just one goal while scoring two of their own and taking all three points.

Lineups and formations

This game took place at Allianz Riviera and Patrick Vieira lined the home side up in a 4-1-4-1 shape for the fixture, which often became a 4-3-3 when Lens were in possession of the ball deep in their own half. 

Walter Benítez started between the sticks for Nice in this one, while veteran Dante and three new signings, in the form of right-back Jordan Lotomba, left-back Hassane Kamara and Dante’s central defensive partner Robson Bambu started in Nice’s backline.