Lens vs Marseille preview - Kombouare keen to clinch second win

Lens coach Antoine Kombouare is confident his relegation battlers can build on their first win of 2015 by beating Marseille at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

Racing have been almost-permanent residents in Ligue 1's drop zone and lost six of nine games heading into the new year.

They snapped a four-game losing streak with a 1-0 triumph over Toulouse last time out, however, and Kombouare feels confidence is high once again.

"Our working week was a much happier one after the victory over Toulouse," he told rclens.fr. "Even more so because it was such a difficult match.

"These three points have done us a world of good and I hope they give us the confidence we need to approach the game against Marseille."

Lens, runners-up in Ligue 2 last season, have not won back-to-back games since August but Kombouare is not daunted by the prospect of facing third-placed Marseille.

He added: "We have an opportunity to string two wins together - and it's fantastic that we get to go for it against Marseille.

"They may be stronger than us technically, but not in terms of motivation - that is just not possible.

"We are playing with the very survival of the club at the forefront our minds."

While Lens may feel they are the only side with something at stake in this encounter, the way the run-in pans out may determine whether Marseille get to hold on to one of their star players.

On-loan winger Lucas Ocampos moved along the south coast from Monaco in February and L'OM possess an option to buy the Argentinian permanently for 10million euros - if they qualify for the Champions Legue.

"If we finish third, I will stay in Marseille," Ocampos told L'Equipe on Friday.

Marcelo Bielsa's men enjoyed their last away day, hammering Toulouse 6-1 two weeks ago before holding Lyon to a goalless draw.