Man Utd target Medina impresses as Lens win in Marseille

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester United have been linked with a possible swoop for Lens centre-back Facundo Medina in the January transfer window.

For that reason, they would have been keeping a close eye on Lens’ midweek trip to Marseille in a rescheduled Ligue 1 fixture. They will doubtless have been impressed with what they saw as Simon Banza’s goal gave the northern side a 1-0 victory.

Facundo Medina: Match Snapshot

Medina started his first Ligue 1 match of the year and just his second since 29th November. He took up a familiar station on the left of a back three and was largely responsible for patrolling the dangerous Florian Thauvin when he came off his wing.

Lens as a whole defended very well, severely reducing the impact of Marseille’s forwards. Individually, Medina did not have heroics to perform. He conceded a single foul in the game while he was booked for a tete-a-tete with Duja Caleta-Car when preparing the challenge for an offensive free kick.

Otherwise, his display was somewhat unremarkable.

United fans might look to Medina’s defensive figures with some concern. He failed to win the only tackle he attempted, failed to win the only aerial duel he competed in and won only one of three duels.

On the other hand, when his side were in possession, he was impressive. No-one could match the number of touches he made in the game, while his 12 recoveries were a match-high figure.

He completed more passes than any other player on the field and did so with 88% accuracy, including eight into the final third. Despite his heavy involvement in the match, the number of errors he made was average.

Key Stats

Facundo Medina: Form

Given Medina’s lack of game time, it is difficult to judge his performances effectively. He fell out of the team due to a poor run of games in which he was prone to making slips at key moments. There was no evidence of that in Marseille, and he may just be given more frequent opportunities as a result.

What Next?

Medina will seek to re-establish himself as a starter, and that means fighting for a starting place against Nice at the weekend. With top centre-back Loic Bade struggling with injury, there is every chance he could play again.

Then, perhaps, he stands a greater chance of a dream move to Man Utd.