Lille – Lyon | 10/03/2023 Ligue 1

The Ligue 1 weekend gets underway on Friday night when Lille welcome Lyon to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Despite indifferent campaigns for both, the two clubs are still in European contention as we approach the final third of the season.

A 1-1 draw at Lens last weekend may have halted Lille’s rise up the Ligue 1 table, but a return to the European stage is still on the cards, illustrated by a one-point deficit from the top-five ahead of this round. Coach Paulo Fonseca expressed his frustration at being held in that draw, stating “the goalkeeper is the man of the match” after his team managed six shots on target, contributing to a total of 148 this season in Ligue 1 – the third highest total across Europe’s top five leagues, behind PSG and Bayern Munich!

LOSC will fancy their chances of getting back on track at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium where they haven’t been beaten since August (W9, D3). The arrival of a Lyon side that have won only once at this stadium from 15 attempts (D7, L7), while failing to score (own goals excluded) in the previous three, should give Fonseca and his team belief they can climb into the top-five with a win here, until Saturday evening at l
east.
With a seven-point gap to the top-five at the end of last round, visitors Lyon look set for a second consecutive season without competing on the European stage – their longest such run since 1995/96! Lyon’s 2.29 expected goals against 0.94 during their goalless draw against Lorient at the weekend helps explain why coach Laurent Blanc said his team “deserved to win”, in a game where the absence of their top scorer Alexandre Lacazette was felt.

It’s unlikely to be an easy trip for Les Gones, with Lyon winless in six away league games against current top-half teams (D1, L5). Although Blanc will be helped here by the return of Lacazette, their indifferent form this season and record at this stadium means completing a hat-trick of wins this season against Lille – following success in the reverse H2H and a recent Coupe de France win on penalties – will be no easy task.

Date: 10/03/2023
Time: 23:00
Venue: Stade Pierre-Mauroy (Villeneuve d’Ascq)
Pick for this match:
“1” -@ 2.05 ( BETWAY )

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Samuel

I am a journalist specializing in gambling in Africa and around the world. I am particularly interested in stories about games and casinos.

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Samuel

I am a journalist specializing in gambling in Africa and around the world. I am particularly interested in stories about games and casinos.