Lois Openda looks ahead to his return to Lens | OneFootball

RB Leipzig's upcoming opponents, RC Lens, will be more than familiar to Lois Openda. Before moving to the Bundesliga, the striker featured in 42 matches (21 goals, 4 assists) for the Ligue 1 side in the 2022/23 season.

Openda and his RBL teammates will face his former employers in their final pre-season friendly on Saturday (18:00 CEST, live on YouTube). "I've been looking forward to this match for a while," the 25-year-old shared in an interview.

In the lead-up to the match, rbleipzig.com spoke with Lois about his time in Lens, the strengths of our upcoming opponents and how he's feeling ahead of the clash.

Lois, you're set to return to Lens for the first time in two years this weekend. What does the match and your return to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis mean to you?

"I've been looking forward to returning for a while now. I'm delighted that it's finally time on Saturday. It will be a special match for me."

What are you most looking forward to?

"A lot of things, but mainly getting to see many familiar faces again. I'm still in touch with several of my former teammates. Knowing that we'll be on the pitch together again, even if it will be for opposite teams, is something really cool. I'm also looking forward to seeing some members of the staff again, such as the kitman or the physios."

"The perfect end to my time there"

Are there any special or funny moments from your time in Lens that you still enjoy looking back on now?

"There are several. One that stands out in particular is our flight home from our game in Auxerre. We won 3-1 on the final day of the season to successfully qualify for the Champions League, and I scored a goal, too.It was the most successful season for Lens in recent history and their first time qualifying for the Champions League in over 20 years – an unforgettable moment for the club and the entire city. We were celebrating on the plane, singing and just having a great time. We then went to the stadium after we landed and there were so many fans waiting there for us. It ended up being a huge party and the perfect end to my time there."

You're our resident Lens expert: what sort of game can we expect on Saturday?

"I watch their games via livestream when I've got the time to. Lens have a strong squad with several good options at every position and they have several players who can impact a game. It will be a real challenge for us before the competitive season gets underway in Sandhausen."

Lois on Lens' playing style and key players

Which players should we keep an eye out for?

"Florian Sotoca, the captain, is a strong attacker. He used to set up plenty of goals for me back in the day. Jonathan Gradit is a very intelligent defender – at 1.80m, he's not the tallest centre-back out there, but he's incredibly strong in the tackle. Deiver Machado is an aggressive and pacey left-back with a strong left foot; his crosses are superb. Wesley Said is a true No9 due to his strong technical abilities and he also has a good shot."

What sort of football do Lens look to play?

"Their strengths lie in transition. Once they manage to win possession, they often look to counter quickly. They don't need many touches – it's one-touch football. They are also very compact in defence. The fans can look forward to an entertaining match."

Have you set out to do anything special on your return?

"I'm looking forward to getting to play in front of the fantastic atmosphere at the stadium again and to see the Lens fans again. Obviously, it would be great to score. But, the most important thing is that we end pre-season with a win in order to head into the new season with a positive feeling."

Discover more

Fixtures Red Bull Arena Men's first team Jugendförderung Fan Zone