Ligue 1 | Gameweek 25

Mar 8, 2025 at 6pm UK

Stade Pierre-Mauroy

Lille vs Montpellier

Match preview

A heavy defeat at the hands of league leaders Paris Saint-Germain, coupled with Monaco's win over Reims, saw Lille drop out of the top four last weekend, just a week after they had climbed into it.

However, their spirits were lifted in midweek when Bruno Genesio's side held Dortmund to an unlikely draw at the Westfalenstadion on Tuesday thanks to Hakon Arnar Haraldsson's equaliser.

That gives Lille a huge chance of reaching the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in their history ahead of Wednesday's home leg, where Les Dogues have been impressive this season.

However, Lille's form in Ligue 1 has dipped slightly of late, threatening their chances of returning to the competition next season.

Three defeats in their last six league games is more than Genesio's men suffered in their opening 18 games of the campaign (two), and they have slipped to fifth, two points behind Monaco and five behind Nice.

There is one statistic that should be very encouraging, however, and that is the fact that Lille have scored in 37 consecutive Ligue 1 home games dating back to February 2023 - the longest such run in Europe's top five leagues.

Lille's recent record against Montpellier also makes for good reading from a home perspective, as they are unbeaten in 13 head-to-head meetings, the best run in the competition for LOSC.

The hosts will undoubtedly start as heavy favourites, especially given that Montpellier have lost five in a row - the joint longest run in Ligue 1 - scoring just one goal in the process.

It is the club's longest losing streak in over two decades and was extended by a 4-0 home defeat to Rennes last weekend, arguably their worst result of the campaign.

Having scored the fewest goals (21) and conceded the most (58), Jean-Louis Gasset's men have little to show for their efforts as Montpellier's 16-year stay in the top flight comes to an end in the year of their 50th anniversary.

Le Havre are five points clear of the relegation zone, while the 2012 French champions are seven points adrift of the safety line.

However, Saint-Etienne and Le Havre, the other two teams in the bottom three, will be the next two to visit the Stade de la Mosson in games that could make or break Montpellier's season.

Recent Performance

Lille Ligue 1 form:LWLWWL

Lille form (all competitions):LLWWLD

Montpellier HSC Ligue 1 form:WLLLLL

Team News

Nabil Bentaleb will be back in the Lille line-up after missing the Dortmund game through suspension, but Samuel Umtiti and Tiago Santos remain sidelined with long-term knee injuries.

Edon Zhegrova is still recovering from a groin injury that has kept him out for three months, while Osame Sahraoui has a hip problem that will rule him out of this game.

Genesio may be tempted to rotate a little with the Dortmund game in mind, which could see Jonathan David rested, with Chuba Akpom able to lead the line himself.

Tanguy Coulibaly is back from suspension for Montpellier, but promising youngster Khalil Fayad has served a ban of his own after accumulating too many yellow cards.

The Moroccan joins a long list of absentees that have caused Gasset headaches since he took charge.

Defensive quartet Issiaga Sylla, Becir Omeragic, Nikola Maksimovic and Christopher Jullien are all sidelined, as is young forward Othmane Maamma, who has missed the last three games.

Possible starting lineup

Lille possible starting lineup:

Chevalier; Meunier, Diakite, Alexsandro, Gudmundsson; Bentaleb, Andre, Andre Gomes; Ang Gomes, Akpom, Bakker

Montpellier HSC possible starting lineup:

Lecomte; Tchato, Meite, Kouyate, Sagnan, Sainte-Luce; Ferri, Chotard, Savanier; Delort, Khazri