Lens supporters promise action after 9-1 defeat to Como

RC Lens lost 9-1 to Como in the Champions League on Wednesday. Two days after the defeat, several supporters’ groups issued a joint statement expressing their “shame” and announcing that they were preparing action. For the groups, the scale of the loss goes beyond the sporting result.

The supporters also recalled an earlier defeat, three years before: Lens had lost 6-0 away to Arsenal. This time, they wrote, the result against Como left their fans with a sense of humiliation. They believe the team’s performance made the defeat particularly hard to accept.

Their anger comes with a call to “sanction” the players. The groups warned that “a red line has been crossed” and said they were discussing what forms of action and demands to pursue. They promised “a response commensurate with the events,” without detailing the measures in statements reported by RMC Sport.

In remarks reported by RMC Sport, the associations called the acts at Bollaert “an indelible stain on the club.” They believe the defeat will weigh on Racing’s Champions League image for years, saying the club will be associated with the competition’s heaviest defeat. In their view, the situation goes beyond what is acceptable.

The groups Red Tigers, Kop Sang et Or, North Devils, Lens 1906 and Artois Lens Boys set out two aims for their actions: to sanction what they described as the conduct of players and certain executives, and to prevent similar behaviour against Marseille. They also cited protecting the club’s future and legacy as reasons for taking action.

The next fixture mentioned is Sunday’s Ligue 1 match against Marseille, at 8:45 p.m. Another setback could, according to the warning made in relation to that game, make the situation worse. The associations concluded that action must be taken to prevent such events from happening again.