The Stats Zone
UEFA Champions League English Premier League Spanish Primera French Ligue 1 German Bundesliga Italian Serie A Saudi Pro League Australian A-League World Cup Qualifiers AFCON Qualifying Other Internationals
December 9 2024, 07:04 · Alex Lawes
Updated: December 9 2024, 11:29

Lille vs Sturm Graz Preview: Team News & Prediction

Lille vs Sturm Graz Preview: Team News & Prediction
Post Share

Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!

Lille have been very impressive since the appointment of Bruno Genesio and are challenging for a top eight finish as they now welcome Austrian champions Sturm Graz to Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Kick-off date/time: Wednesday 11th December, 2024: UK – 5:45pm / US ET – 12:45pm / US PT – 9:45am

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – Discovery+ / US – Paramount+

Lille Preview: Strong Lille

Bruno Genesio’s Lille have pulled off some impressive results in the UEFA Champions League with victories over both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid this season. The northerners begin the match day level on points with sixth and have a great chance to finish in the top eight.

The home team come into this one on the back of a comfortable and impressive 3-1 defeat of Stade Brest at the weekend thanks to a brace from Jonathan David as well as a strike from Hakon Haraldsson. They are now unbeaten in their last 14 matches across all competitions.

Sturm Graz Preview: Change at Sturm

Over the November international break, Sturm Graz lost manager Christian Ilzer to Bundesliga side Hoffenheim with Jurgen Saumel still in interim charge of the Austrian champions. They have found life difficult in this season’s tournament with one win and four defeats.

Their most recent outing on the continent a couple of weeks ago did see them earn that first victory as they edged past Girona by a goal to nil. They are sitting at the top-of-the-table in the Austrian Bundesliga and defeated WSG Tirol by three goals to nil at the weekend.

Lille Team News: No Angel Gomes

England international midfielder Angel Gomes had endured a stop-start few months and he is now sidelined due to a calf injury. There are several other absentees for this week such as defenders Samuel Umtiti and Tiago Santos for this one.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Chevalier; Meunier, Diakite, Alexsandro, Gudmundsson; Andre, Bouaddi; Fernandez-Pardo, Mukau, Sahraoui; David

Unavailable: Umtiti (Injured), Santos (Injured), Bentaleb (Illness), Ang. Gomes (Injured), Mbappe (Injured)

Questionable: 

Sturm Graz Team News: Scherpen injury

Former Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen has undergone surgery so he is unavailable, whilst defender Alexandar Borkovic is suffering from an ACL injury. Sturm’s key man, and their focus for every game, remains former Arsenal striker Mika Biereth.

Predicted XI (4-2-2-2): Khudyakov; Johnston, Aiwu, Geyrhofer, Lavalee; Chukwuani, Kiteishvili; Yalcouye, Boving; Biereth, Jatta

Unavailable: Scherpen (Injured), Borkovic (Injured), Gazibegovic (Suspended)

Questionable: 

Key Stats

  • The only previous UEFA club competition matches between these two teams were in the UEFA Conference League round of 16 last season. Lille progressed 4-1 on aggregate after a 3-0 victory in the first leg in Austria and a 1-1 draw in France in the second leg.
  • Lille are unbeaten in their last ten home UEFA club competition matches (W8 D2).
  • Lille have won three and drawn one of their last four UEFA Champions League matches.
  • Lille have lost only three of their last 21 UEFA competition matches (W12 D6).
  • Lille have only failed to score in one of their last 17 UEFA competition matches.
  • Sturm Graz are without a win in their previous five UEFA competition matches away from home against French teams (D1 L4).
  • Sturm Graz are without a win in their last five UEFA competition matches against French teams (D2 L3).
  • Sturm Graz are aiming to win successive UEFA Champions League matches (including qualifying) for the first time since the 2000/01 season.

Lille vs Sturm Graz Prediction

Lille have a very impressive squad and the recent return of Hakon Haraldsson has only bolstered their potential moving forward. With the new format causing a few surprises and making it quite open, they will be confident of pushing into a top eight finish. They face a very average Sturm Graz side that have actually won since the lost of Ilzer but remain one of the weaker sides in the competition and Lille, especially with home advantage, should get their fourth UEFA Champions League win of the campaign. 

Lille vs Sturm Graz Tip: Lille to win