Lille and Toulouse have produced some of the most exciting matches in Ligue 1 since the recent start of the campaign, and will meet in Round 4 at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Lille missed out on Champions League football due to their goal difference last season, after accumulating the same points as Nice in 4th place. And their season start gives a feeling that they belong with the top teams in Europe. The Mastiffs are unbeaten in the new campaign after three rounds, scoring the league-high 11 goals in the process. Just before the international break, they crushed Lorient 7-1 on the road.
After a mediocre season in 2024/2025, Toulouse also had an exciting start to the new campaign, winning back-to-back in the first two rounds, before meeting PSG. And while losing 6-3 will never bring positive feelings, scoring three goals to the best team in the world is a serious achievement by itself. We could see Toulouse in the race for Europe this season, but it all depends on their performance against top teams like Lille.
How the bookies view it: Lille to extend their unbeaten run
Lille are known as a dominant host; therefore, the odds are nearly always in their favour. This fixture is no exception, as you can pick the Mastiffs at 3/4, as opposed to 7/2 for Toulouse. Alternatively, you can opt for the draw at 14/5.
Recent head to head: The Mastiffs won back-to-back
Lille and Toulouse never fail to entertain when they meet, with games often proving unpredictable. Both sides have found success over different periods, although Lille have the advantage with five wins to three in the last 10 H2Hs. More importantly, Lille won both times last season and three out of the last five overall.
Players to watch: Remember Fernandez-Pardo's name
Many questioned Lille's transfer decisions this summer, but the results have been proving everyone wrong. Putting Olivier Giroud aside, as he is recovering from a hamstring injury, we have plenty of options for bets in this match.
Young Felix Correia has been loving life in France and has contributed three assists in three starts since he joined Lille. You should also keep your eyes open for 20-year-old Mathias Fernandez-Pardo, who played 85 minutes in Giroud's place against Lorient and scored a brace. He should make the starting line-up again and is quite capable of carrying Lille to victory again.
Probable line-ups
Lille: Ozer, Perraud, Ribeiro, Ngoy, Mandi, Bouaddi, Andre, Correia, Haraldsson, Igamane, Fernandez-Pardo
Toulouse: Restes, Methalie, Nicolaisen, Cresswell, McKenzie, Sidibe, Donnum, Casseres Jr, Sauer, Gboho, Magri
Anything else catch the eye?
One thing we noticed from the H2H stats is that both teams found the net in four consecutive meetings in the last two campaigns. And with their performances in the early rounds of the current season, we expect the same outcome.
But we should also remember that Toulouse got obliterated by PSG, exposing their defensive vulnerabilities, and Lille will take advantage of those holes to punish the Violets for the third time in a row. We expect a clash full of highlights and a 3-1 win for the Mastiffs.
GambleAware