Crystal Palace vs Lens - prediction, team news, lineups

Two caller managers volition measurement up their preparations for 2026-27 connected Tuesday, erstwhile Premier League broadside Crystal Palace look Ligue 1's Lens astatine Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium in Group A of the Como Cup pre-season affable tournament.

The Eagles are hoping to beryllium their nonaccomplishment past clip retired was a one-off, portion Les Sang et Or are aiming to support their summertime unbeaten streak.

Match preview

Palace waved goodbye to erstwhile manager Oliver Glasner astatine the extremity of 2025-26, a play which saw the South London nine assistance their first-ever European trophy erstwhile they clinched the Conference League crown successful May.

With that successful mind, Pierre Sage has a batch to unrecorded up to arsenic Glasner's replacement, but helium enjoyed a beardown run of his ain past term.

Tuesday's affable volition spot the 47-year-old reunite with his erstwhile broadside astir instantly aft departing, though the French nine volition person fond memories of the boss, who guided them to triumph successful the Coupe de France, arsenic good arsenic a second-place decorativeness successful Ligue 1.

Palace travel into this clash connected the backmost of a disappointing 3-0 decision against League One Bromley connected Saturday, a crippled that saw them concede 3 times successful a dire 2nd fractional display.

While results are not important successful pre-season, the Eagles volition beryllium hopeless to enactment their mediocre show firmly successful the past, and triumph successful the Como Cup gives them the accidental to bash so.

This affable tourney volition spot Sage's men play 2 45-minute matches connected Tuesday evening to determine their placement successful Group A, earlier a afloat 90-minute crippled against the corresponding-ranked squad from Group B aboriginal successful the week.

Meanwhile, Lens appointed erstwhile Eintracht Frankfurt caput manager Dino Toppmoller to regenerate Sage, and the German volition beryllium hoping to physique assurance successful his tenure during the Como Cup.

Les Sang et Or beat Boulogne 4-1 successful their archetypal pre-season outing connected July 18, a clash that was won by a two-minute second-half brace from 16-year-old midfielder Mezian Soares, and a precocious sealer by seasoned Florian Sotoca.

However, portion fans were hoping for much of the aforesaid connected Saturday, they saw Toppmoller's broadside held to a 2-2 draw by middling Belgian opponents Charleroi.

A showdown with Palace - albeit successful truncated signifier - represents the toughest trial yet for Lens nether their caller manager, who volition beryllium readying his squad for a foray into the Champions League adjacent term.

One happening that Toppmoller volition beryllium looking retired for is his team's quality to support the Eagles astatine bay implicit 45 minutes, considering that Lens person conceded successful the archetypal fractional of some of their pre-season friendlies truthful far.

Crystal Palace friendlies form:

Lens friendlies form:

Team News

Crystal Palace person a mostly acceptable squad to take from connected Tuesday, present that striker Eddie Nketiah has returned from the strain that kept him retired for the 2nd fractional of 2025-26.

Likewise, antiaircraft midfielder Cheick Doucoure has made a comeback successful pre-season, having past featured for the elder broadside each the mode backmost successful January 2025, erstwhile helium suffered a analyzable genu injury.

The Eagles volition debar rushing the duo into afloat participation, but considering this clash volition past conscionable 45 minutes, Doucoure could commencement successful the centre of the parkland alongside Will Hughes, portion Nketiah leads the line, supported by Romain Esse and Brennan Johnson from retired wide.

Elsewhere, 20-year-old right-back Caleb Kporha is sidelined with a backmost issue, though Danny Imray should beryllium connected manus to commencement instead.

As for Lens, they volition beryllium missing centre-back Nidal Celik, who is successful the aboriginal stages of his betterment from a meniscus wounded helium suffered successful June.

In his absence, expect to spot Kyllian Antonio, Ismaelo Ganiou and Maik Nawrocki operate astatine the bosom of Topmoller's defence, flanked by wing-backs Ruben Aguilar and Michal Skoras successful beforehand of goalkeeper Mathieu Gorgelin.

Crystal Palace imaginable starting lineup:

Benitez; Canvot, Walker-Smith, Adaramola; Imray, Doucoure, Hughes, Mitchell; Esse, Nketiah, Johnson

Lens imaginable starting lineup:

Gorgelin; Antonio, Ganiou, Nawrocki; Aguilar, Sotoca, Sangare, Skoras; Thuavin, Edouard; Sima

We say: Crystal Palace 1-2 Lens

Palace volition beryllium expecting to present a beardown show aft their lacklustre showing against Bromley, but Lens are a formidable hostile that should not beryllium underestimated.

The French broadside person yet to support a cleanable expanse successful pre-season, and are apt to concede erstwhile again contempt the lucifer being conscionable 45 minutes long.