Lille vs Real Madrid Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 UEFA Champions League | League Phase

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Champions League holders Real Madrid left it late before eventually overcoming Stuttgart in the first match of their title defence and their next assignment comes in the form of an away trip to Lille.

KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Wednesday October 2nd 2024: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm

HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – TNT Sports 5 / US – CBS Sports

HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – discovery+ / US – Paramount+

LILLE TEAM NEWS: GOMES SUSPENDED, ETHAN MBAPPE INJURED

PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Chevalier; Meunier, Diakite, Mandi, Gudmundsson; Andre, Bouaddi; Zhegrova, Cabella, Sahraoui; David

UNAVAILABLE: Gomes (Suspended), Haraldsson (Injured), Ismaily (Injured), E. Mbappe (Injured), Mukau (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE:

REAL MADRID TEAM NEWS: COURTOIS AND KYLIAN MBAPPE MAJOR DOUBTS

PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Lunin; Vazquez, Rudiger, Militao, Mendy; Valverde, Modric, Camavinga, Guler; Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior

UNAVAILABLE: Alaba (Injured), Ceballos (Injured), Diaz (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE: Courtois (Injured), K. Mbappe (Injured)

KEY STATS

• Lille have lost only one of their previous eight UEFA competition matches against Spanish teams in France (W2 D5).
• Lille’s last UEFA matches against a Spanish team were vs Sevilla in the 2021/22 Champions League. A draw 0-0 at home on Matchday 3 was followed by a 2-1 victory in Spain on Matchday 4 – a result that ended an eight-game winless run against Spanish opponents in UEFA competitions (D3 L5).
• Lille have won only one of their last 15 home matches in the UEFA Champions League proper (D6 L8).
• Real Madrid are unbeaten in their last 15 UEFA competition matches (W11 D4). This includes 14 UEFA Champions League matches (W10 D4).
• Real Madrid have only failed to score in one of their last 34 UEFA competition matches.
• Real Madrid have won 15 of their last 17 UEFA Champions League group/league phase matches (D1 L1).
• Real Madrid have lost only two of their last 15 UEFA competition matches against French teams (W9 D4).

LILLE VS REAL MADRID PREDICTION

Even if Real Madrid are without Kylian Mbappe for any part of this contest, they have enough strength-in-depth at their disposal to dominate play against Lille. Although keeping a close eye on striker Jonathan David will be crucial for the Real Madrid backline, the riches afforded to Carlo Ancelotti in regards to creative, pacy outlets is likely to see them break through the Lille defence on more than one occasion.

Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo should feature and that’s before taking into account the likes of Endrick and Arder Guler. Any outcome other than a Real Madrid victory in France would be seen as a big surprise.

LILLE VS REAL MADRID TIP: REAL MADRID TO WIN