The Matchday 2 clash in Ligue 1 between Lille and Monaco will take place on August 24 at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Villeneuve-d'Ascq. Lille vs. Monaco: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Lille
Lille's match against Brest in Round 1 ended in a draw, with the teams sharing the spoils in a 3-3 scoreline. It's worth noting that the club has failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four matches in the French championship. However, Lille's home form in last season's Ligue 1 was impressive, as they avoided defeat in 15 out of 17 encounters (11 wins, 4 draws). The goal difference in these home games was 31:18. Currently, Lille is on a six-match unbeaten run at home in the league (5 wins, 1 draw).
- Both teams scored in 6 of Lille's last 8 Ligue 1 matches.
- The club has an impressive home scoring streak in the French championship, spanning 42 matches.
- Lille has avoided defeat in 6 of their last 7 matches in this tournament (4 wins, 2 draws).
Predicted lineup for Lille (4-5-1)
Berke Ozer – Ousmane Toure, Nathan Ngoy, Alessandro, Romain Perraud – Ngalayel Mukau, Benjamin Andre, Marius Brukhollm, Hakon Haraldsson, Felix Correia – Olivier Giroud.
Due to health issues, goalkeeper Marc-Aurele Caillard, defender Thiago Santos, midfielder Andre Gomes, and forward Osame Sahraoui will not play.
Monaco
The Monegasques started with a 3-1 victory over Le Havre in the new Ligue 1 campaign. This win was the most significant in Round 1 and allowed the team to top the league standings. However, away matches have been challenging for the team lately, as they failed to win in 10 of their last 12 matches in the French championship (4 draws, 6 losses). Overall, in last season's Ligue 1, Monaco struggled on the road, earning only 22 points compared to 39 at home. The goal difference in home and away matches from the previous championship speaks for itself, with a home tally of 38:16 and an away tally of 25:25.
- The team has not lost in 6 of their last 7 matches in the elite French division (4 wins, 2 draws).
- At least 3 goals have been scored in 15 of Monaco's last 20 Ligue 1 encounters.
- Monaco conceded in 9 of their last 10 away matches in the championship, with at least 2 goals conceded in 6 of them.
Predicted lineup for Monaco (4-5-1)
Lukasz Hradecky – Caio Henrique, Christian Mavissa Elebi, Eric Dier, Jordan Teze – Lamine Camara, Denis Zakaria, Aleksandr Golovin, Takumi Minamino, Maghnes Akliouche – Mika Birith.
Midfielder Paul Pogba and forward Ansu Fati will be the only absentees for Monaco.
Referee
Willy Delajod (France)
Matches – 19 (Ligue 1, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 70;
Average yellow cards per match – 3.7;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 22;
Penalties – 32%.
Prediction for Lille vs. Monaco
The upcoming opponents were strong in attack in the opening round, with only Brest, who played against Lille, also managing to score three goals. Bruno Genesio's team squandered a two-goal lead during the match, eventually settling for a draw. It's not surprising that Lille struggled in attack, as the team's lineup underwent significant changes during the offseason, and the players need time to develop chemistry. Meanwhile, Monaco is in good shape in this regard, having retained their key players while making a few strategic reinforcements over the summer. They've already shown that they will once again contend for the top positions in the championship.
I agree with the bookmakers, who have made the visitors favorites for the upcoming match. Monaco is stronger and more cohesive than the "raw" Lille. The only argument in favor of the hosts is the home-field advantage. Lille performs excellently at home, while the Monegasques struggled on the road in the previous French championship. Despite my preference for the visitors, I believe that a more reliable betting option would be on the total goals. Both teams demonstrated their attacking potential by scoring three goals each in Round 1. However, Monaco's defense has traditionally been a weak point, and Lille is also experiencing ongoing issues in their backline.
Therefore, I believe that neither team will be able to keep a clean sheet. The statistics support this: both teams scored in 9 of Lille's last 11 home matches and in 8 of Monaco's last 10 away matches in Ligue 1. Moreover, at least 3 goals were scored in 7 of the last 9 head-to-head meetings at Lille's home ground in the championship. Therefore, my prediction is: Both teams to score – yes + Total over 2.5 goals
