The first thing that Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere said following Nice’s tepid 0-0 draw with Metz last weekend, which consigned them to the playoff, was that the cup final is no longer the priority for his side. That stance contrasts sharply with their opponents, who will go all out to claim a rare trophy.

Lens’ form over the course of the season has been exceptional, while their performances in their last three games suggest that they have been warming up nicely for this match. After beating Nantes, they were unfortunate to lose 2-0 at home to PSG after outplaying the Champions League finalists, while they were simply spectacular with a changed side as they won 4-0 against Lyon last weekend.

While the last meeting between these clubs was 1-1, Lens led 1-0 until going down to 10 men.

Their confidence levels could not contrast any more sharply with Nice, who were terrible in a match they had to win last weekend. Their display against the worst team in the league by some distance points to trouble ahead.

This is a battle between two of the most prolific corner-winning teams in Ligue 1. The style of the teams demands this will be the case, with Lens in particular seeking to get their wing-backs high and deliver crosses into the box for their opponents to defend.

This is borne out by the fact that in Nice’s league fixtures this season, there have been an average of 10.79 corners – the 2nd highest in France’s top flight. Similarly, Lens have been prolific in this regard, with 10.35 corners per match on average.

When these sides met at the beginning of the month, there were a staggering 15 corners shared between the teams. Given that Lens will expect to dominate this game, and they managed eight alone when the teams met three weeks ago, this looks like strong value.

Lens’ left wing-back Matthieu Udol has been one of their most impressive players this season and someone unfortunate to miss out on the France World Cup squad. One of the primary reasons for this has been the threat he has posed offensively. While he has mostly been noted for his crossing, he has offered 47 shots in Ligue 1 this season – ranking 5th among Lens players in this regard.

Udol has had 1.41 shots per 90 in France’s top-flight – 6th among Lens players who have played at least 900 minutes. In the Coupe de France, meanwhile, he has had at least one shot in three of the four matches Lens have played, having shots on target in two of them.

He has had a shot in 10 of his last 13 matches, with 2+ shots in eight of these fixtures. Across these games, he has had 28 shots – accounting for well over half his shots this term, highlighting the impact he is having late this season.

Sangare has grown into his role in the heart of the Lens midfield, where he typifies the type of central player who has thrived at the club in recent years. He is powerful and dynamic, breaking forward athletically and getting shots away.

Indeed, he ranks 4th among Lens players for shots in Ligue 1 this season with 53, averaging 2.05 per 90. He made a somewhat sluggish start in this regard after arriving at the club from Rapid Vienna last summer, but has 2+ shots in eight of his last nine matches.

Across his last 11 games, he has had 28 efforts – exactly half of the 56 he has had across all competitions this term. In his previous 21 games, he had 28 shots, showing the recent but also sustained impact he’s had in recent weeks.

His head-to-head record against Nice also points to a favourable outcome for this bet: he has had at least two shots in each of his two matches against Les Aiglons. Expect him to be heavily involved in this encounter, too.