Lille vs Nantes Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 French Ligue 1
THE FACTS
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
When is Lille vs Nantes on and what time does it start? Lille vs Nantes will take place on Saturday 19th August, 2023 – 12:00 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Lille vs Nantes? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What TV channel is Lille vs Nantes on in the UK? TNT Sports have the rights to Ligue 1 matches in the UK, so it is worth checking their schedule for Lille vs Nantes
Where can I stream Lille vs Nantes in the UK? If Lille vs Nantes is televised on TNT Sports, then subscribers can stream the match live on discovery+
THE LOWDOWN
LILLE
Under the management of former Porto, Shakhtar and Roma manager Paulo Fonseca, Lille qualified for the UEFA Europa Conference League playoffs from Ligue 1 last season after some impressive form in the second-half of the season. The suffered just two defeats in their final 14 matches of the season as they played an easy on the eye style of football well implemented by Fonseca.
The hosts began their campaign against a Nice side of similar standard and similar ambitions of finishing inside the top five at the very least this season. It has been a relatively quiet summer transfer window for the northern club, albeit they pulled off the signing of Hakon Arnar Haraldsson from Copenhagen, but a successful summer window will involve star striker Jonathan David, of Canada, staying with the club.
NANTES
In 2022, Nantes won the Coupe de France and then in 2023 they reached the final going on to lose to Toulouse. In the meantime, the visitors collapsed from a mid-table side to a team that narrowly escaped the four-team relegation zone last season on the final day of the campaign. With the league being reduced from 20 to 18 teams, that will be a concern for Nantes as it will be even easier to be dragged into a relegation battle.
They began the 2023/24 Ligue 1 campaign with a 2-1 loss at home to Toulouse and it was an extremely disappointing way to lose. They took an early lead in front of their own supporters with Mostafa Mohamed scoring a penalty but then Toulouse equalised mid-way through the second-half before they notched a second-half stoppage-time winner.
THE TEAM NEWS
LILLE
Paulo Fonseca has always been a front foot and progressive manager and he prefers a 4-2-3-1 system, although it was a 4-3-3 in their 1-1 draw last week. They are without injured duo Samuel Umtiti, who signed from Barcelona this summer, and Adam Ounas.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Chevalier; Santos, Diakite, Alexsandro, Ismaily; Baleba, Andre; Virginius, Cabella, Haraldsson; David
UNAVAILABLE: Ounas (Injured), Umtiti (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
NANTES
Under the management of Pierre Aristouy, Nantes began the season with a back three system and they are expected to field that system once more but they will have to make one change with a crucial injury to their goalkeeper, Alban Lafont.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-1-2): Petric; Zeze, Pierre-Gabriel, Pallois; Coco, Moutoussamy, Chirivella, Merlin; Mollet; Mohamed, Simon
UNAVAILABLE: Lafont (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
THE PREDICTION
Lille’s second game of the season is one that they will view as a very good opportunity to get their first win of the campaign. They will come into this a little frustrated to have dropped points in second-half stoppage-time last weekend – as did Nantes but they went from one to zero with their defeat to Toulouse. Nantes look likely to struggle and the loss of Alban Lafont is a major one. Lille, especially with their home advantage, are expected to win this one relatively comfortably.
TIP: LILLE TO WIN
