Lille vs Montpellier prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2023-09-02 13:00.
After a promising start to the Ligue 1 season (W1, D1), Lille were brought back down to earth by a 4-1 defeat to Lorient last time out, in a game they were trailing 2-0 after only ten minutes. The scoreline doesn’t tell the full story though, as Lille rattled in 18 shots in that loss, with coach Paulo Fonseca emphasising the “risks taken” after such a poor start.
Lille reacted well with a 1-1 draw with Rijeka (3-2 on aggregate) in midweek, securing their qualification for the UEFA Conference League group stage, and the transfer window passing with Jonathan David still a Lille player could prove to be the best bit of business they did as they look to compete on both fronts. The Mastiffs will fancy their chances of getting back on track at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy too as they’ve not lost on their own turf in over a year (W16, D4).
Just like Lille, Montpellier also suffered their first defeat of the Ligue 1 season last week (W1, D1), going down 3-1 to Reims at home on Sunday after being breached inside eight minutes. Coach Michel Der Zakarian expressed frustration after the game with his players' “marking”, as half of the six shots on target they conceded ended up in the back of the net.
Montpellier’s excellent away league form could be key to breaking their 12-year wait for a win at Lille (D4, L7), as they’ve won four of their last five road trips (L1). They could also take advantage of Lille's potential fatigue, as the hosts played 120 minutes of exhausting European football on Thursday, but they will have to do without two key forwards Elye Wahi and Stephy Mavididi, who both departed this summer.
Players to watch: Rémy Cabella will be eager to shine once again against his former club, having contributed to four of Lille's five goals across the two H2Hs last season (G1, A3). He’s up against Montpellier recruit Mousa Al-Tamari who has scored three of his team’s previous four goals, and boasts an average Flashscore rating of over 8 this season.
Hot stat: Just one of the previous eight H2Hs held here have featured a goalless first half.