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

Olympique Lyonnais welcome AJ Auxerre to the Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Friday evening for their latest instalment of Ligue 1 action.

In their previous league fixture, Les Gones were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Le Havre, while Les Bleu et Blancs made it back to back defeats as they fell to a 3-1 loss against Angers.

Match preview

After returning to the Ligue 1 top four in the 2025-26 season, a finish they last bettered seven years ago, Lyon will be content with how they have started their latest league campaign.

Although they will be disappointed to have only drawn when hosting Le Havre on Saturday evening, Les Gones’ 2-0 victory away to Toulouse on the opening weekend of the campaign keeps them sitting pretty in the league table on four points, a tally that has only been bettered by AS Monaco so far.

Having booked their ticket in the tournament’s qualification phases as a result of last season’s league finish, Lyon will certainly be disappointed with their latest UEFA Champions League campaign though, as Paulo Fonseca’s men bowed out to Turkish side Fenerbahce in the decisive tie last week after victory against Sparta Prague in the prior round.

However, with their following three fixtures all against sides currently in the top half of the Ligue 1 table, Les Gones will undoubtedly be looking to forget about their European woes by overcoming a struggling Auxerre outfit this week and continuing their promising start to the league campaign.

Posting a 3-2 victory when these sides last met and currently unbeaten in each of their previous seven home matches against AJA, tallying five wins over that period, the hosts are certainly favourites to secure all three points this Friday as well.

Following a near disastrous 2025-26 Ligue 1 campaign, finishing just two points above OGC Nice who occupied the relegation playoff spot after 38 matches, Auxerre look as though they are going to be in for an almighty fight once again this season.

Falling to an expected defeat away to RC Lens on the opening weekend, Les Bleu et Blancs would have been hopeful of bouncing straight back against an Angers side without a win in 10 league matches at the Stade I’Abbe-Deschamps on Saturday evening, but instead endured more misery, sustaining a damaging 3-1 home loss.

As a result of being the only team in the division yet to earn a point, Will Still’s men sit bottom of the table and have the worst defensive record in the league after shipping eight goals in their first two Ligue 1 matches, three more than any other side.

While it could perhaps have been expected that Auxerre would struggle once more this season, the extent of their misery comes as a huge concern given the investment made in this summer’s transfer market, spending a club record €17.6 million, almost three times more than their previous high in a single window.

Having never before triumphed at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, last beating Les Gones away in 2009, AJA will be looking to overturn their torrid form by creating history this week and climbing off the foot of the Ligue 1 table.

Lyon Ligue 1 form:

Lyon form (all competitions):

Auxerre Ligue 1 form:

Team News

After Saturday’s clash with Le Havre, it remains to be seen whether young striker Remi Hibert makes a return to the Lyon squad, though new signing and fellow forward Julien Duranville will definitely miss out with a muscle injury.

Despite playing the whole of the match against Fenerbahce, Dutch defender Ruben Kluivert was also not in the weekend’s squad, however it is expected that the 25-year-old was just being rested.

Completing a move to Premier League side Everton on deadline day for a reported €5 million fee, Les Gones will now be without the services of English full back Ainsley Maitland-Niles, with Zachary Athekame likely to take his place.

Having signed for the club on Tuesday, it is possible that former Championship duo Axel Tuanzebe and Cameron Archer could feature for Auxerre on Friday.

Bryan Okoh and Assane Diousse are both recovering from cruciate ligament injuries and are certain not to return before the New Year, while Francisco Sierralta remains out with an undisclosed problem.

Due to hamstring and groin issues respectively, Marvin Senaya and Sekou Fofana are still sidelined too, rounding off an extensive injury list for Les Bleu et Blancs.

One positive that Still’s side will certainly be looking to take into Friday’s contest will be the competitive debut of new signing Remy Labeau Lascary on the left wing, with the 23-year-old scoring Auxerre’s leveller against Angers just before the break.

Lyon possible starting lineup:

Greif; Athekame, Bacher, Niakhate, Tagliafico; Bidstrup, Morton; Nuamah, Tolisso, Boudache; Openda

Auxerre possible starting lineup:

Diop; Sy, Diomande, Legros, Akpa; Ahamada, Piedfort, Danois; Faivre, Namaso, Labeau Lascary

We say: Lyon 3-0 Auxerre

With two wins from as many games to open the new season, it looks as though it is going to be another long and tough Ligue 1 campaign for Auxerre.

Although the visitors are certainly bound to improve on their dismal start, we do not think it will begin on Friday and predict the hosts to climb towards the summit of the league table with a healthy margin of victory at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais.

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