Auxerre vs Lille prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2023-04-21 15:00.
In any ordinary Ligue 1 season, they could probably already uncork the very best bottle of a locally produced Burgundy at Auxerre and celebrate a successful return to the top flight. But courtesy of the four relegation slots this year ahead of the league’s curtailment to 18 teams, the newcomers started the round three points out of danger instead of 11, even after completing their longest winning streak of the campaign with a 2-1 triumph at home to Nantes.
“Something is happening and it gives us incredible strength,” boasted manager Christophe Pélissier after the club’s third consecutive victory. Whilst the mood is understandably upbeat, Pélissier’s players can’t get ahead of themselves given a very difficult run home. Auxerre’s three straight wins were all against clubs beneath them in the standings ahead of this round, so a further step up will be required against a top five opposition.
Lille avenged a shock 1-0 loss to Angers by overcoming a half-time deficit at home to Montpellier (2-1) and, despite trailing at the half-time break four times in their last eight league outings compared with one lead (3x 0-0), continue to collect enough points to remain in contention for a return to European football after missing out this season.
Their trio of contests against Reims, Monaco and Marseille in May will be the ones that attract the most attention, but it is the remaining four – all against clubs starting this round 14th (Auxerre) or lower – that Lille have to take full advantage of to bridge the six-point gap to the top four in which they finished last weekend with.
Players to watch: Nuno Da Costa returned to the Auxerre starting 11 and rewarded management with first half goals in each of their last two fixtures. Lille’s much-admired striker Jonathan David could be a threat from start to finish, scoring after the break in the last round but twice prior to half-time in the reverse H2H.
Hot streak: Pélissier’s eight personal clashes with Lille all produced a winner (W3, L5) as well as an average of 3.5 total goals per game.