Lille vs Galatasaray Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2026-27 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
by Alex Lawes ·
Lille could do with an improved performances here as the French northerners now take on Turkish giants Galatasaray at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Wednesday.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV & online: UK – TNT Sports & HBO Max / USA – Paramount+
Lille preview: Indifferent form
Lille come into this one on the back of another fairly average performance as they shared a 1-1 draw with Stade Brest the other day, making it two victories, a draw and three defeats in their last six matches across all competitions.
In that run of form, their two wins were unconvincing as they edged past ten-man and struggling Le Havre by a goal to nil as well as unconvincingly defeating newly-promoted Troyes last month, too.
Galatasaray preview: Entertaining Gala
In both of their league phase games in the UEFA Champions League so far this season, Galatasaray have taken the lead against Sporting CP and then Barcelona before being beaten 3-1 and 4-1 respectively.
The Turkish giants were much better at home than they were on the road in Europe last season and they need to show some major improvement when going away from Turkiye if they want to squeeze themselves through once again this season.
Lille team news: Ozer a doubt
First-choice goalkeeper Berke Ozer is now a doubt for Lille this weekend with the hosts remaining without Ethan Mbappe, missing through suspension, and summer signing Ayase Ueda, who succumbed to a foot injury against Arsenal last week.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Gill; Goffi, Ngoy, Alexsandro, Perraud; Andre, Bentaleb; Bakwa, Mukau, Haraldsson; Giroud
Unavailable: Santos (Injured), Mbappe (Suspended), Igamane (Injured), Ueda (Injured)
Questionable: Ozer (Injured)
Galatasaray team news: Leao injury
Mario Lemina and Victor Osimhen missed their UEFA Champions League opener against Sporting but both are now available, although Wilfried Singo has been joined on the sidelines by Portugal international attacker Rafael Leao.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Cakir; Sallai, Sanchez, Jakobs, Elmali; Torreira, Lemina; Akgun, Bakratov, Sane; Osimhen
Unavailable: Singo (Injured), Guvenc (Injured), Leao (Injured)
Questionable:
Lille vs Galatasaray prediction
After their 4-1 defeat to the relentless Barcelona in Istanbul last week, Galatasaray snatched a late win against Genclerbirligi at the weekend to leave them at the top-of-the-table and just above newly-promoted Amdespor in the Super Lig. Lille remained unbeaten with their draw at the weekend and they are one of five teams at the top of Ligue 1 sitting on 14 points but performances have dipped under Davide Ancelotti. They should still score against the always defensively fallible Gala, while the visitors will also fancy themselves to punish a stuttering home team here.
Lille vs Galatasaray Tip: Both teams to score
