Lens secured the Coupe des Champions title with a 3-1 victory over Villarreal in the final on August 1st, 2026. Goals from A. Perez at four minutes, M. Udol at eight, and R. Fofana at the 91st minute sealed the win for the hosts. F. Thauvin's penalty at 61 minutes was Villarreal's only reply. Two red cards in the closing stages added to the drama of the contest.
Lens started aggressively, with Perez finding the net after just four minutes of play. Udol doubled the advantage eight minutes in, giving the home side a commanding 2-0 lead. A. Bulatovic received the only yellow card for Lens at six minutes. The visitors could not respond as Lens controlled the early exchanges.
Thauvin scored a penalty at 61 minutes to bring Villarreal back into the match. The visitors had been under pressure and the goal shifted the momentum briefly. Bulatovic was substituted at 62 minutes, replaced by O. Edouard who had come on at the 46th minute. The technical area saw movement as both managers adjusted their approaches.
The second half grew increasingly tense with two yellow cards at 67 and 69 minutes. S. Cardona was sent off at 82 minutes following a second booking, and P. Navarro received a red card at 90+5 minutes. Fofana scored at 91 minutes to extend Lens's lead and effectively end Villarreal's hopes. The visitors finished with nine men after the late dismissals.
The statistics tell a different story from the result. Villarreal registered 111 attacks compared to Lens's 55, yet could only find the net once. Both teams are recorded with 50 per cent possession, though the attacking figures suggest otherwise. Lens had three corners while Villarreal won five, and the home side committed fewer offsides with just one incident against two for the visitors.
