Editing RC Lens (section)

=== New direction and return to Ligue 1 ===
In the [[2017–18 Ligue 2]] season, Lens lost their first seven matches in a row, the worst start to a season in the club's history. On 18 September, Lens finally got their first win of the season over [[US Quevilly-Rouen]] 2–0.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sport.fr/football/lens-gagne-enfin-quevilly-rouen-437170.shtm|title=Lens gagne enfin un match ! – Sport.fr|date=18 September 2017|website=sport.fr|access-date=2 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018133454/http://www.sport.fr/football/lens-gagne-enfin-quevilly-rouen-437170.shtm|archive-date=18 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.vavel.com/international-football/826851-rc-lens-how-has-it-comes-to-this.html |title=RC Lens: How a footballing institution find themselves bottom of Ligue 2 &#124; VAVEL.com |date=12 September 2017 |access-date=17 October 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017042323/https://en.vavel.com/international-football/826851-rc-lens-how-has-it-comes-to-this.html |archive-date=17 October 2017  }}</ref>

In the [[2018–19 Ligue 2]] season, Lens finished 5th on the table and reached the promotion play off final against [[Dijon FCO]]. After a 1–1 draw in the first leg, Lens would lose the second leg and the tie 3–1 after two goalkeeping blunders by [[Jérémy Vachoux]] cost his side a chance of promotion to [[Ligue 1]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.beinsports.com/au/ligue-1/video/lens-rues-vachoux-blunders-as-dijon-stays-in-/1208198/|title=Lens rues Vachoux blunders as Dijon stays in Ligue 1|website=Bein Sports|access-date=28 June 2019|archive-date=9 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240609070229/https://www.beinsports.com/en-au/football/ligue-1/news|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 30 April 2020, Lens were promoted to [[Ligue 1]] after the LFP decided to end the seasons of both Ligue 1 and [[Ligue 2]] early due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in France]]. Lens were second on the table in Ligue 2 at the time of the decision.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52484926|title=Paris St-Germain awarded French title as season finished early|work=BBC Sport|access-date=1 May 2020|archive-date=16 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616035525/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52484926|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[2020–21 Ligue 1|2020–21 season]], Lens finished 7th on the [[Ligue 1]] table after an impressive first season back in France's top flight.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/01/ligue-1-season-review-adam-erics-lille-psg-kylian-mbappe/|title=It's the Adam and Erics 2021! The complete review of the Ligue 1 season|website=www.theguardian.com|date=June 2021|access-date=20 July 2021|archive-date=23 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523054424/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/01/ligue-1-season-review-adam-erics-lille-psg-kylian-mbappe|url-status=live}}</ref> They finished seventh again in the [[2021–22 Ligue 1|following season]] with 62 points,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ligue 1 2021/2022 Table, Results, Stats and Fixtures |url=https://www.footballcritic.com/ligue-1/season-2021-2022/4/51604 |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=FootballCritic |language=en |archive-date=9 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240609070226/https://www.footballcritic.com/ligue-1/season-2021-2022/4/51604 |url-status=live }}</ref> despite being ranked second behind [[Paris Saint-Germain F.C.|Paris Saint-Germain]] in the first half of the season.

In the [[2022-23 Ligue 1|2022–23 season]], Lens won 10 games out of 10 at home during the first part of the season. On 1 January 2023, Lens beat PSG 3–1 and became the first team to defeat Paris, which had been unbeaten since the start of the season.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brilliant Lens inflict first defeat of season on PSG |url=https://www.ligue1.com/Articles/MATCH%20REPORTS/2023/01/01/lens-inflict-first-defeat-of-season-on-psg-mbappe-messi-neymar |access-date=2023-01-09 |website=Ligue1 COM |language=en |archive-date=9 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240609070227/https://www.ligue1.com/Articles/MATCH%20REPORTS/2023/01/01/lens-inflict-first-defeat-of-season-on-psg-mbappe-messi-neymar |url-status=live }}</ref> Halfway through the season, Lens was second, three points behind PSG.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-14 |title=Lens wins 10th home match, Marseille wins 6th straight game |url=https://apnews.com/article/sports-soccer-aj-auxerre-florian-sotoca-przemyslaw-frankowski-86837c30092ebee61b4d423381525e7e |access-date=2023-01-26 |website=AP NEWS |language=en |archive-date=9 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240609070226/https://apnews.com/article/sports-soccer-aj-auxerre-florian-sotoca-przemyslaw-frankowski-86837c30092ebee61b4d423381525e7e |url-status=live }}</ref> On 1 March 2023, Lens was eliminated from the [[Coupe de France]] after a 2–1 defeat against [[FC Nantes|Nantes]] in the quarter-finals.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-01 |title=Coupe de France : Elimination lensoise à Nantes à quelques jours du derby du Nord |url=https://www.francebleu.fr/sports/football/direct-coupe-de-france-le-rc-lens-a-nantes-pour-rejoindre-les-demies-9677864 |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=ici, par France Bleu et France 3 |language=fr |archive-date=9 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240609070227/https://www.francebleu.fr/sports/football/direct-coupe-de-france-le-rc-lens-a-nantes-pour-rejoindre-les-demies-9677864 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 27 May, Lens won 3–0 against [[AC Ajaccio|Ajaccio]], finished 2nd in [[2022-23 Ligue 1|Ligue 1]] and qualified for the [[2023–24 UEFA Champions League|Champions League]] for the third time in their history after 1998–99 and 2002–03.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.beinsports.com/us/ligue-1/video/lens-win-against-ajaccio-secure-spot-in-champ/2100982 |title=Lens Win Against Ajaccio, Secure Spot in Champions League |publisher=beIN SPORTS |date=27 May 2023 |access-date=28 May 2023 |archive-date=28 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528205432/https://www.beinsports.com/us/ligue-1/video/lens-win-against-ajaccio-secure-spot-in-champ/2100982 |url-status=live }}</ref>