RC Lens Play Friendly in Aid of Detained Journalist, Defeat Rouen
RC Lens played a friendly match against National side FC Rouen on Saturday, winning 2-1 in a game dedicated to the #FreeGleizes campaign. The match, played in front of over 20,000 fans at the Stade Bollaert, was organized in support of French journalist Christophe Gleizes, who has been detained in Algeria for 286 days. The match proceeds will be donated to Reporters Without Borders.
The game, a late replacement for a postponed Ligue 1 fixture against Paris Saint-Germain, saw Lens field two entirely different XIs for each half. The deadlock was broken in the 56th minute when Wesley Saïd converted a penalty after a handball by Rouen's Emric Goumot. The lead was doubled in the 61st minute through a superb Andrija Bulatovic free-kick. Rouen, currently third in the Championnat National, pulled a goal back in the 77th minute through a well-worked team move finished by Valentin Fuss.
Ahead of kick-off, the Gleizes family was present on the pitch as the teams and a capacity crowd of 20,071 spectators paid tribute to the detained journalist. The RC Lens squad wore t-shirts bearing the #FreeGleizes slogan during their warm-up, and the club presented Gleizes's family with a shirt and a message of support. All proceeds from the match will be donated to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to aid their work on Gleizes's case.
On the pitch, Lens manager Franck Haise used the occasion to rotate his squad, with 22 different players seeing action. The first half, which ended 0-0, featured a more experienced Lens side including Florian Thauvin and Allan Saint-Maximin. The second half saw a completely new XI, with Wesley Saïd and Andrija Bulatovic getting on the scoresheet. The match provided a valuable run-out for Lens, who remain in contention for a European spot in Ligue 1 and have a Coupe de France semi-final against Toulouse later this month. For third-tier Rouen, who are chasing promotion, the friendly provided a stern test against top-flight opposition as they prepare for the final stretch of their season.
The match was organized on short notice after PSG requested to postpone the Ligue 1 fixture to prepare for their Champions League quarter-final. Lens chose to use the vacant date to host the friendly, turning it into a significant show of support for press freedom and their former colleague, Christophe Gleizes.
