Preview: Lyon vs. Go Ahead Eagles - prediction, team news, lineups

Europa League-topping Lyon welcome debutants Go Ahead Eagles to Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday, aiming to hold on to top spot after matchday six.

Les Gones are tied on 12 points with Midtjylland and Aston Villa after five rounds, facing six other clubs between fourth and ninth in close pursuit, highlighting the necessity of securing another positive result on home turf against the inexperienced Dutch side.

Match preview

Fresh from a Ligue 1 defeat at Lorient last weekend, Lyon return to European football hoping to maintain their strong start in this season’s Europa League.

Although their fifth top-flight defeat leaves them fifth in the Ligue 1 standings, Paulo Fonseca’s side have been nearly perfect on the continent, claiming 12 points from a possible 15.

The only loss suffered by the French team was a 2-0 reverse away to previously unbeaten Real Betis; however, last season’s semi-finalists responded with a 6-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv to close out November.

Corentin Tolisso scored a hat-trick in that outstanding result against the Israeli side, keeping the Ligue 1 outfit joint top of the league phase with three games remaining.

Nevertheless, a guaranteed top-eight spot is not assured, given that first and Roma in 15th are separated by three points and two points split the top nine teams.

As a result, the hosts cannot rest on their laurels ahead of their third European match at the Groupama this term, having secured 2-0 wins over Salzburg and Basel.

Hoping to be the first team since Toulouse in January to prevent their French hosts from scoring, Go Ahead Eagles travel for their third away match in Europe this season, keen to secure a second continental victory on the road.

The debutants claimed maximum points away to Panathinaikos in October in a historic first victory on their travels in the competition, which they followed with a 2-1 win over Aston Villa in Deventer.

While still outside the top 24 places, six points put Kowet just outside the playoff spots, with Basel only higher due to superior goal difference.

Victory on Thursday could take Boel’s team as high as 15th, though that depends on other results favouring the Eredivisie side.

Nonetheless, their earlier results in the league phase put them in a strong position to make the top 24 at the end of the phase.

That possibility is more than Kowet could have hoped for before a ball was kicked in this year’s competition, and they have put themselves in a favourable position to capitalise if other clubs slip up.

Lyon Europa League form:

Lyon form (all competitions):

Go Ahead Eagles Europa League form:

Go Ahead Eagles form (all competitions):

Team News

Ruben Kluivert (ankle), Tanner Tessmann (thigh), Malick Fofana (ankle) and Ernest Nuamah (knee) are all expected absentees for Lyon on matchday six.

With four goals and one assist after five rounds for Fonseca’s team, Corentin Tolisso has had a hand in 41.7% of the home team’s goals, placing him joint-top with Ludogorets’ Petar Stanic (five goals) and Lille’s Hamza Igamane (four goals, one assist) for overall involvement.

The Dutch visitors are missing Soren Tengstedt, Pim Saathof (knee, also ineligible), Gerrit Nauber (leg) and Robbin Weijenberg (knee) through injury or ineligibility.

While Milan Smit has scored 50% of Kowet’s four goals in this season’s Europa League, the forward has not found the net in three consecutive appearances in all competitions and has netted just once in nine matches: a 4-2 league defeat to Heracles.

Smit scored both of his goals in the victory over Panathinaikos in October, and he hopes to perform well against the French team this week.

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Greif; Mata, Niakhate, Tagliafico; Maitland-Niles, Morton, Carvalho, Vinicius; Sulc, Tolisso; Satriano

Go Ahead Eagles possible starting lineup:

De Busser; Deijl, Dirksen, Kramer, James; Meulensteen, Rahmouni; Margaret, Twigt, Suray; Smit

We say: Lyon 2-0 Go Ahead Eagles

Although Go Ahead Eagles beat Panathinaikos in early October, facing Fonseca’s team in France presents an entirely different challenge.

Unbeaten at the Groupama in Europe this term, Les Gones should secure a routine victory over their visitors on matchday six and retain their place at the top of the standings.

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