Preview: Auxerre vs Lille - prediction, team news, lineups

Auxerre will welcome Lille to the Stade de l’Abbe-Deschamps on Saturday afternoon for their Ligue 1 matchday 16 fixture, as they look to strengthen their chances of avoiding relegation at the end of the season.

However, they face an in-form Dogues side who are pushing for Champions League qualification and are also challenging Paris Saint-Germain in the title race.

Match preview

Auxerre come into this match after securing their first win in 10 league games, a 3–1 victory over Metz on Sunday that lifted them to 16th in the standings.

Before that win, their last victory dated back to September 21, a 1–0 home success against Toulouse. Since then, they had drawn three and lost six. 

Christophe Pelissier’s side have managed only three wins all season and have suffered nine defeats as they struggle to replicate the form that saw them finish 11th following their promotion last season.

Despite signing a contract extension in May, Pelissier is under growing pressure as Auxerre have struggled badly in attack. They have scored only 11 goals in 15 matches, the lowest tally in the league, with three of those goals coming against bottom-placed Metz.

Auxerre now host a Lille side full of confidence, and history is not on their side. They have not won this fixture in 12 years, with their last victory coming in the Coupe de la Ligue in October 2013, when Sebastien Haller scored in extra time. 

Since returning to Ligue 1 in 2022, Auxerre have earned just two points from a possible 12 against Lille, drawing twice and losing twice.

Last season’s meeting at this ground saw Auxerre reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute after Paul Joly was penalised for a foul on Hakon Arnar Haraldsson. Goalkeeper Theo De Percin saved the resulting penalty from Jonathan David, helping his side secure a point.

Auxerre also have a poor disciplinary record this season and are joint-second for the most red cards in Ligue 1, having received four dismissals in just 15 matches.

Interestingly, Auxerre have failed to win seven of their last eight league games against Lille and have not scored in both halves in any of the last eight meetings. However, they have managed to score in five of their last six home league matches against this opponent.

© Imago / Sportsphoto

Fourth-placed Lille enter this match having won four of their last six league games. Despite a 1–0 defeat to Young Boys in the Europa League, Bruno Genesio’s men have scored 29 goals and conceded 17 in their 15 Ligue 1 matches this season.

Against Marseille last weekend, Lille ended their habit of scoring late by finding the net inside the first 10 minutes, a goal that ultimately secured all three points against a top-four rival. It has been a recurring theme this season, with Lille winning two of their last five league games courtesy of late goals.

Lille are among the top three teams in the league for goals scored, as their tally of 29 goals in 15 matches (league average: 21.3) gives them an average of 1.9 goals per game.

Defensively, they are also one of the top three teams for the fewest goal attempts conceded. In 15 matches, they have allowed just 139 attempts (league average: 183.8), an average of 9.3 per match.

In six of the last eight league meetings between the sides, Lille have avoided defeat when scoring at least once against Auxerre, and only once in those eight matches have Lille conceded two or more goals to Auxerre.

Auxerre Ligue 1 form:

Lille Ligue 1 form:

Lille form (all competitions):

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Team News

© Imago

Ibrahim Osman is a doubt for Sunday’s clash against Lille - the Ghanaian forward missed the last match due to injury but could still be an option for this weekend’s fixture.

He will be assessed after the final training session on Saturday to determine whether he can be included in the squad. That said, he has been used mostly as a bench option for AJA this season, so his absence would not significantly affect the starting lineup.

Given the team that delivered Pelissier his first win in months, he is expected to stick with the same XI against Lille.

For Lille, Genesio confirmed earlier in the week that Moroccan international Hamza Igamane has suffered an adductor injury and is likely to miss the trip to Auxerre.

Alexsandro Ribeiro may also miss another match due to a leg problem, Ousmane Toure remains out with a cruciate ligament tear, and Marc-Aurele Caillard is still doubtful because of a sore elbow. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi is one yellow card away from suspension after accumulating four bookings this season.

With Igamane sidelined, veteran striker Olivier Giroud is expected to lead the line, supported by Hakon Haraldsson and Felix Correia.

Auxerre possible starting lineup:

Leon; Sy, Akpa, Diomande, Oppegard; Azzouzi, Danois, Matondo; Sinayoko, Namaso, Mara

Lille possible starting lineup:

Ozer; Meunier, Ngoy, Mandi, Perraud; Andre, Bentaleb; Mukau, Haraldsson, Correia; Giroud

We say: Auxerre 0-1 Lille

We expect this to be a very keenly contested fixture, with both teams looking to gain and sustain momentum ahead of the winter break, but back Lille to edge it with a narrow victory due to their superior individual quality.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.