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

Looking to continue their unbeaten start to the new Ligue 1 campaign, Lille welcome Toulouse to Decathlon Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Les Dogues picked up a massive victory over Lorient last time out, whilst Les Violets were defeated on home soil by the champions.

Match preview

After a fifth-placed finish in the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season, Lille are targeting a return to the heights of the Champions League spots this time around, with Sunday afternoon's hosts making an excellent start prior to the September international break.

Les Dogues produced the standout success of gameweek three on August 30, when braces from Matias Fernandez-Pardo and former Rangers man Hamza Igamane were the highlights of a 7-1 battering of relegation-threatened Lorient at Stade du Moustoir.

Earning their second win of the fresh Ligue 1 term after just three matches, Lille are currently occupying third spot in the top-flight standings, sitting two points behind current holders Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon in first and second place respectively.

Making the high-profile switch from Primeira Liga outfit Gil Vicente to Les Dogues during the summer transfer window, Felix Correia has made an excellent start to life at Decathlon Arena, providing three assists from as many Ligue 1 contests.

Posting three straight mid-table finishes since returning to this level following a title-winning Ligue 2 campaign in 2021-22, Toulouse are on a mission to compete at the upper echelons of Ligue 1 this time around but faced a major setback at the end of August.

French title holders and Champions League winners PSG were the visitors to Stadium de Toulouse on August 30, when a stunning hat-trick from midfielder Joao Neves and a pair of penalties from Ousmane Dembele fired the visitors to a 6-3 success.

After securing back-to-back league triumphs over Nice and Brest prior to the difficult evening against Les Parisiens, Toulouse remain in a good standing in the Ligue 1 rankings with six points from three matches, just the single point behind Lille.

A force in the lower divisions of France so far in his career for the likes of SC Bastia and Angers B, Frank Magri has proven his worth as a top-tier attacker over recent times, scoring two goals in his opening three appearances of 2025-26.

Lille Ligue 1 form:

D W W

Lille form (all competitions):

D W W

Toulouse Ligue 1 form:

W W L

Toulouse form (all competitions):

W W L

Team News

Lille remain without the services of midfielder Ethan Mbappe, who picked up a hamstring injury at the beginning of August.

Les Dogues are also battling on without the talents of former Belgium international Thomas Meunier, with the 34-year-old nursing a groin issue.

There is a major doubt in the ranks of the hosts as well in the form of Tiago Santos, who has not featured since picking up a serious knee injury in October 2024.

A key contributor during the first half of last season in midfield, Toulouse's Niklas Schmidt is still recovering from a knee problem.

A number of younger options are also out of the question for Les Violets, with Abu Francis (calf) and Rafik Messali (leg) occupying spots in the medical room.

Lille possible starting lineup:

Ozer; Mandi, Ngoy, Ribeiro, Perraud; Andre, Bouaddi; Igamane, Haraldsson, Correia; Fernandez-Pardo

Toulouse possible starting lineup:

Restes; Sidibe, McKenzie, Cresswell, Nicolaisen, Methalie; Donnum, Sauer, Casseres Jr, Gboho; Magri