Last chance for Lens

By Patrick Hart

Cause for concern
A home defeat will end Lens's slim qualification hopes, with a draw rendering their chances mathematical only. And even though Deportivo go to the Stade Félix-Bollaert knowing victory could be enough to see them into the second round - provided FC Bayern München fail to beat AC Milan - they too have cause for concern.

Depor's worst start
The Galicians' second place in the section masks the fact that Javier Irureta's men have made their worst start to a season since he took charge four years ago. The victories against Bayern and Lens have failed to ease Deportivo into their domestic campaign. Saturday's 3-1 loss to Villarreal was their third in six league games.

'50 per cent chance'
Injuries and illness have not helped. The latter has deprived Deportivo of goalkeeper José Molina - now fighting testicular cancer. The former leaves them without key midfield player Juan Carlos Valerón and defenders Jorge Andrade and Goran Djorovic, while Diego Tristán, Donato and Manuel Pablo García are yet to find form after long absences.

Reason for cheer
So the Lens game is an opportunity "to cheer up" a dressing room which the veteran Mauro said must unite this week. Irureta said: "We have more than a 50 per cent chance of qualifying but this next game will be decisive." The last time the sides met, on Matchday Three, Deportivo recovered from Daniel Moreira's early strike to win 3-1 with goals from Roy Makaay, Joan Capdevila and César Martín. The result left Lens with just a draw from the home tie with Bayern to show for their first three outings.

'Inconsistent Lens'
The team's league form has been "inconsistent" too, according to coach Joël Muller. The 1-1 home draw with AJ Ajaccio kept Lens eighth in the table - although the only item on the docket for Muller now are the three Champions League points. "Sometimes we play well, but then we are inconsistent again," he said. "Our performance in the league doesn't worry me. We could have won over there in Spain and we also can beat them here."

Raising the temperature
Muller is without the injured Zoumana Camara and Sébastien Chabbert, but midfield player Cyril Rool is one of ten players newly available to the coach. And he demanded a show of strength from last season's French league runners-up. "This time we've nothing to lose," Rool said. "In front our fans we must attack every time we have the ball and try to raise the temperature." The worry for Lens is that even this might not be enough to save their Champions League season.