Leicester City FC faced off against RC Lens in a friendly match at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on 10 August 2024, with the home side emerging victorious with a scoreline of 3-0. The match kicked off at 3:00pm and drew an impressive crowd of 33,537 fans eager to witness the action.
Leicester City lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, designed to provide a solid defensive base while allowing for attacking flair. Mads Hermansen took his place in goal, shielded by a back four consisting of James Justin on the right, Wout Faes and Caleb Okoli in central defence, and Victor Kristiansen on the left. The midfield trio featured Hamza Choudhury on the right, Harry Winks in the centre, and Wilfred Ndidi on the left, tasked with controlling the tempo and linking play. Up front, Abdul Fatawu and Bobby De Cordova-Reid operated as right and left forwards respectively, supporting striker Patson Daka, who was expected to lead the line with pace and precision.
The substitutes for Leicester included Stephy Mavididi, Jannik Vestergaard, Ricardo Pereira, Tom Cannon, Kasey McAteer, Will Alves, and Boubakary Soumare, providing depth and options for tactical changes as the match progressed.
The first half saw Leicester struggle to find their rhythm, but they held firm defensively until the 37th minute when Daka was forced off due to injury, making way for Mavididi. As the teams headed into the break, Leicester remained hopeful of turning the tide in the second half.
However, the second half began disastrously for Leicester as RC Lens struck just two minutes in. A well-placed header from an opposing player found the back of the net, putting Leicester on the back foot. The home side quickly capitalised on their momentum, doubling their lead in the 52nd minute with a slick team move that culminated in a right-footed finish.
Things went from bad to worse for Leicester as RC Lens scored again in the 56th minute, this time from a goalmouth scramble that saw the ball bundled in with a left-footed effort. Leicester's defence, which had looked resolute in the first half, was now struggling to cope with the relentless pressure from the hosts.
In an attempt to change the course of the match, Leicester made a series of substitutions in the 67th minute, bringing on Jannik Vestergaard for Faes, Ricardo Pereira for Kristiansen, Tom Cannon for Fatawu, and Kasey McAteer for De Cordova-Reid. These changes aimed to inject fresh energy into the side, but the team continued to find it difficult to create clear-cut chances.
As the match wore on, Ndidi received a yellow card for a bad tackle in the 51st minute, a sign of Leicester's growing frustration. In the 80th minute, further substitutions were made with Will Alves replacing Ndidi and Boubakary Soumare coming on for Choudhury, but the changes failed to spark a revival.
Ultimately, Leicester City left the Stade Bollaert-Delelis empty-handed, having been outplayed by a more cohesive and clinical RC Lens side. The defeat serves as a stark reminder of the work that lies ahead for Leicester as they prepare for the challenges of the upcoming season.
