Lille vs Lyon » Prediction, Watch Live + Odds & Stats 10.03.2023

Lille and Lyon will meet on Friday night as the first fixture in an entertaining weekend of Ligue 1 action.

While we appreciate just how competitive French football has become in the last couple of years, the drop-off of Lille will be seen as unacceptable by a large portion of their fanbase. Less than two years ago, they were out there winning the Ligue 1 title - and now, they’re scratching and clawing just to try and make their way back towards the top of the pile.

Inconsistency has been the big problem for Lille as of late. From February onwards they have beaten Rennes, then drawn with Lyon. They beat Strasbourg, then lost 4-3 to PSG. They beat Brest, then were held to a 1-1 draw away at Lens.

Olympique Lyonnais have been recognised as one of France’s greatest footballing clubs for many years now, but in reality, their golden days are long gone. They don’t quite seem to have evolved with the times and in the present, the worry is that the prospect of European football is nothing but a dream - at least, it is for the time being.

After knocking Lille out of the Coupe de France, Lyon beat Grenoble to book their place in the semi-finals. They’ve also knocked off Angers and Lens in the league, with their only defeat in recent weeks coming courtesy of an away loss to Auxerre.

Diakite is expected to miss this one thanks to a thigh injury. Ismaily is also still out for the same reason, with Ounas on the shelf due to a leg problem.

Lopes, Boateng, Gusto, Mendes and Jeffinho are all out through injury for Lyon, although Lacazette could be fit in time to feature here.

Excitement is the name of the game and fresh off of their cup clash, these two sides will feel like they’ve got a real point to prove. The smart money is on an entertaining game and that’s what we’re backing, with over 2.5 goals scored between them.