Lille v Real Madrid– Preview, Predictions, and Best Bets

Lille hosts Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. The French side was beaten 2-0 by Sporting Lisbon on matchday one, while Los Blancos defeated Stuttgart 3-1. Lille has lost four of their last six matches, conceding 11 goals.

Lille Form

LOSC is struggling, having lost four of their last six matches. Despite a 2-1 away loss to Slavia Prague, they progressed to the Champions’ League group stages with a 3-2 aggregate win. A 3-1 home loss to PSG followed, where they allowed 2.60 xG (expected goals).

Lille missed six big chances in a 1-0 loss at Saint-Etienne. On matchday one, they lost 2-0 at Sporting Lisbon, playing with ten men and being outshot 18-3. After surrendering a 2-0 lead in a 3-3 home draw against Strasbourg, they responded with a 3-0 win at Le Havre last Saturday, where Jonathan David scored a hat trick.

Lille Team News

Coach Bruno Genesio will be without England international Angel Gomes due to suspension after his red card against Sporting Lisbon. Samuel Umtiti is injured, but Nabil Bentaleb should return from illness.

Young winger Hákon Arnar Haraldsson is ruled out, and midfielder Ngal Ayel Mukau requires a late fitness test. Striker Jonathan David, who has scored five goals this season, is the key player to watch.

Lille Motivation

Lille would be satisfied with a respectable performance, avoiding a heavy defeat against Real Madrid.

A draw would feel like a major achievement. Lille is an open, attacking side and may struggle to sit back and defend for long periods.

Real Madrid Form

Real Madrid has had a slow start to the season. They began by winning the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta, but dropped points in La Liga with 1-1 draws against Mallorca and Las Palmas. A 2-0 win over Real Betis and a 2-0 victory at Real Sociedad followed.

They beat Stuttgart 3-1 on matchday one of the Champions League, before a 4-1 win over Espanyol, where they registered 31 shots and 4.46 xG. After a 3-2 win over Alavés, they drew 1-1 in their last match, conceding a 95th-minute goal away to Atletico Madrid.

Real Madrid Team News

Carlo Ancelotti remains without Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz in attack. Jude Bellingham is expected to play in a more advanced role, with Rodrygo also starting.

Luka Modric will feature in midfield, while Dani Ceballos will not play. Eduardo Camavinga is available again after injury, but David Alaba is out with a serious knee injury.

Real Madrid Motivation

Los Blancos are fully focused on the Champions League and will aim for a comfortable win over Lille.

Ancelotti’s side will likely be more attacking than in their recent Madrid derby.

Key Stats

Lille has lost 4 of their last 6 matches (11 goals conceded).

Lille’s Jonathan David has scored 5 goals this season.

Real Madrid has lost just 1 of their last 21 Champions League matches.

Real Madrid has conceded in 6 of their last 7 Champions League matches.

Verdict

All signs point to a Real Madrid victory, likely by more than one goal. Given recent defensive stats, they are also expected to concede a goal.

Best Bet: Real Madrid win at 1.54
Alternate Bet: Real Madrid win + Over 2.5 goals at 2.25
Value Bet: Real Madrid win + Bellingham to score anytime at 3.37

James O'Connor

James is a football analyst who writes about the tactics of the PSL and English Premier League. He holds the UEFA A coaching licence and has previously worked for several clubs in analysis roles.Twitter: https://twitter.com/footy_analysis