Lille and Lyon will clash at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in the most exciting Ligue 1 fixture this weekend.
Few teams in the Top 5 leagues have played more games than Lille this season but the team seems to be in its best shape right now. Their seven game unbeaten streak across all competitions features famous wins over Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
The tight schedule doesn't seem to bother them as Lille fought until the last seconds against Lens to pick up a 2-0 win with goals in the 98th and 101st minutes.
Their home record this year is exceptional too, losing only twice – to PSG in September and to Lyon in May. Their recent H2Hs with Les Gones have made this upcoming match one of the most anticipated fixtures of the season.
And speaking of the Kids, the visitors truly know how to give headaches to their fans. Their five wins in a row in September and early October were followed by two shocking displays at home against Besiktas and Auxerre. One can never know what to expect from Lyon.
How the bookies view it: Minimal advantage and a big question
The Mastiffs have the advantage in odds due to their exceptional home form but bookmakers do not rule Lyon out. Betano gave Lille 11/10 to win on Friday, while the visitors sit at 11/5. You can bet on the draw at 14/5.
Recent head to head: As tight as a rivalry can be
As hinted above, Lille and Lyon have produced some wonders in recent seasons. The most recent encounter in May ended in a 3-4 win for Lyon, while Lille dominated them in the reverse fixture. In the grand scheme of things, Lille won three and Lyon four of their last ten encounters.
Players to watch: He is hungry to break records
Jonathan David is en-route to becoming Lille's all-time top goalscorer and Lyon is one of his favourite teams to play against. The Canadian striker has scored six goals against this opponent since joining Lille five years ago.
Probable line-ups
Lille: Chevalier, Gudmundsson, Alexsandro, Diakite, Meunier, Andre Gomes, Angel Gomes, Andre, Sahraoui, David, Zhegrova
Lyon: Perri, Kumbedi, Caleta-Car, Niakhate, Tagliafico, Tessmann, Matic, Veretout, Benrahma, Mikautadze, Fofana
Anything else catch the eye?
The Mastiffs have benefited from their watertight defence this season, conceding only eight goals since the start of the Ligue 1 campaign. But their defence rarely made the headlines against Lyon in recent years.
Four of the last five H2Hs ended with over 2.5 goals, with Lyon scoring 11 goals in the process. This will be the third fixture for both sides in nine days and we can't imagine it going quiet. And when it comes to winning and losing, Lyon have had the upper hand in recent away games at Lille. They lost only once in the last eight visits, which makes it harder to predict this match.
We expect this to end level, but not without a good amount of drama and goals on both ends. Considering that there have been 4.4 goals per match on average in their last five H2Hs, we envision a 2-2 draw.
This French Ligue 1 match between Lille and Lyon will be played on Nov 1, 2024 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Lille vs Lyon prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
