Pierre Sage, the RC Lens coach, spoke to the media following Saturday night’s 5-0 victory against Paris FC in Matchday 22 of the 2025-2026 Ligue 1 season. Naturally, after securing three points that put them in first place ahead of Paris Saint-Germain, who lost 3-1 to Rennes on Friday, he was asked about a possible title race.
Sage: “Every victory will bring us closer to a more competitive league.”
“Is Lens thinking about the title?
Not at all. Today, we are in a situation where we have a clear and stated ambition, but above all, one that is achievable. The players are quite aware of the steps we need to take to reach our goals. We’re going to take things one step at a time. We’ve reached our first step, 52 points, with the idea now of being able to qualify for European competition, starting with the Conference League.” And each victory will bring us closer to a more interesting competition.
Our objective is clear, but there are essential steps. Today, we still need three more wins (to secure a European spot), given what the last two Ligue 1 standings have shown us. The league is a bit tighter, so we might need a few more this year.
Sage said, “I think it’s important to focus on points, not our league position.”
“Today, we’re facing some very positive challenges, and we’re taking them very seriously. This approach will allow us to maintain our ambition and achieve other goals, like the Coupe de France, for example. And we also know that there will be some less successful days. That’s why I think it’s important to focus on points, not our league position,” as reported by Le Figaro.
Sage’s message remains consistent from one weekend to the next, regardless of whether Lens is first or second. The idea is to put the title race as far away as possible in order to focus on European qualification. Understandably, it’s better to take it one step at a time. This is perhaps the best way to avoid a fall. By only thinking about first place, the slightest slip-up can seem disastrous and create a negative atmosphere that weighs everything down.
Right now, Lens has a head start on European qualification, especially since Pierre Sage wants to take it competition by competition, focusing for the moment on a points total to be roughly in the zone. Adjustments are possible, since every season is different. The idea is therefore not to look too closely at the others, to concentrate on themselves.
This can work, and for the moment, Lens is progressing particularly well, even if some successes have required a bit of luck. That’s part of a season. However, caution is advised, as the situation can no longer be dismissed with vaguer ideas. The final matches will be very real for Lens, with likely pressure regarding both the league title and Champions League qualification. This is especially true with the Lens/PSG match on April 12th (matchday 29). But there are still 12 matchdays left, with 36 points up for grabs; the road ahead is still long.
