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

Monaco can close the gap between themselves and Lille for a Champions League place when the two sides meet up in Ligue 1 action at Stade Louis II on Sunday.

Thanks to a 2-1 win over Metz and some help, Les Monegasques moved up to sixth last week, four points below Lille, who are fourth following a 1-1 draw at home to Le Havre.

Match preview

A place in Europe is back in their hands for now, but Monaco likely cannot afford to drop many more points between now and the remainder of the season.

With two matches to go, Sebastien Pocognoli’s men are a point above Marseille, who are outside the European positions, while only four points currently separate the Principality club from a place in next season’s Champions League qualifying round.

Heading into their final home game of 2025-26, this team are on a six-match unbeaten run at Stade Louis II in this competition.

If they can win their last two Ligue 1 affairs this season, they would finish with at least 60 points for a sixth successive campaign.

They have won their last three domestic home encounters in the Principality in May, scoring a combined 10 times over that stretch, while conceding only once.

The Principality club have points in six straight home games versus Lille, posting a clean sheet on those previous three occasions.

As we hit the latter stages of the Ligue 1 campaign, Lille are cutting it awfully close in their quest to get back into the Champions League.

Bruno Genesio’s side have failed to win two of their previous three top-flight affairs, while dropping four points when scoring first this year.

Like Monaco, their margin for error is thin, as only two points currently separate them from Lyon for an automatic spot in the League Phase of the Champions League, and they are just two points above Rennes for a place in the qualifiers of that tournament.

Away from home, Lille have been on quite a roll, winning five in a row in Ligue 1, without a goal conceded on those previous two occasions.

With a win on Sunday, this team will reach double digits for away triumphs in a single top-flight season for the first time since winning the league in 2020-21.

Les Nordistes have won their last two meetings with Monaco in this competition, but have not beaten them in Ligue 1 at Stade Louis II since 2009 (4-0).

Monaco Ligue 1 form:

Lille Ligue 1 form:

Team News

Knee injuries are expected to prevent Mohammed Salisu, Takumi Minamino and Kassoum Ouattara from featuring for Monaco, Vanderson has a thigh strain, while Paris Brunner is dealing with a sore hamstring.

Expect Stanis Idumbo to miss this contest with a shoulder problem, while Caio Henrique will be pushing to start after returning from his sore hamstring last week.

Folarin Balogun was back on the scoresheet last week as he and Ansu Fati netted second-half strikes in their come-from-behind victory.

An elbow issue will surely keep Marc-Aurele Caillard on the Lille sidelines, Marius Broholm has a sore leg, while Nabil Bentaleb is questionable due to an infection.

Because of a thigh injury, Noah Edjouma will likely be out on Sunday, while Hamza Igamane and Ousmane Toure are unavailable with cruciate ligament tears.

Hakon Arnar Haraldsson gave them a brief lead just beyond the half-hour mark last Sunday, as the Iceland midfielder drew even with Matias Fernandez-Pardo for first on the team with his eighth league goal.

Monaco possible starting lineup:

Hradecky; Kehrer, Zakaria, Mawissa; Teze, Camara, Pogba, Henrique; Akliouche, Balogun, Golovin

Lille possible starting lineup:

Ozer; Meunier, Ngoy, Mandi, Perraud; Andre, Bouaddi; Mukau, Haraldsson, Correia; Fernandez-Pardo

We say: Monaco 2-1 Lille

These are two teams with plenty of firepower and a lot to play for, but ultimately, we believe the attacking form of Balogun will propel the home side to a narrow triumph.

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