While Arsenal vs Lens is a fixture bereft of hostility or animosity, the Gunners have nonetheless played a significant role in the French side’s European history.
During their only two Champions League campaigns to date, Lens have been drawn in the same group as Arsenal. The two clubs are entrenched in history, but duels have only arrived sparingly since their first meeting in 1998.
Here’s a rundown of Arsenal‘s head-to-head record against Ligue 1 outfit Lens.
Both clubs made their Champions League bows in the 1998/99 campaign after winning their respective domestic leagues the season prior.
The two teams would suitably meet on Matchday 1 of the group stage in Lens and Arsenal looked set for all money to secure a huge away win after Marc Overmars handed them the lead early in the second half.
Lens, though, would ensure they didn’t endure a competition debut to forget as Tony Vairelles struck in stoppage time to earn them a point.
It’s worth noting Arsenal’s Champions League debut arrived at a time when British clubs appeared pre-historic compared to their continental counterparts. Even Manchester United’s treble success in 1999 failed to spark an immediate shift in fortunes.
So, the Gunners’ demise on home soil to Lens was merely regarded as the continuation of a concerning trend.
On this occasion, Arsene Wenger, who was without Dennis Bergkamp, Emmanuel Petit and Patrick Vieira, was reliant on his squad players to get the job done at home to the Ligue 1 champions, but they couldn’t produce the goods. Arsenal were eventually beaten 1-0 as Michael Debeve scored the winner late on.
Despite this victory, Lens too would fail to progress into the knockout stages as they joined Arsenal on eight points.
The next meeting arrived less than two years later in the latter stages of the UEFA Cup. Arsenal met Lens with a place in the final at stake having dropped into the competition following another disappointing Champions League group stage.
The Gunners then beat Nantes, Deportivo La Coruna and Werder Bremen to reach the last four and they’d secure their first-ever win over Lens in the first leg of their semi-final thanks to an early Bergkamp goal.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at 90min EN…