Lille vs Slavia Prague Prediction & Betting Tips (20 August)

Following a series of bad operations at the end of the championship last year, LOSC did not have the chance to finish in the top 3 directly qualifying for the group stages of the 2024-25 Champions League, and is forced to go through the qualifying rounds with many tipsters predicted like eagle predict and focus predict. A very serious preparation from Bruno Genesio's men, where they had the opportunity to test themselves against La Gantoise victory, 2-1, Genk victory, 2-2, Wolfsburg defeat 1-0 and Celta Vigo victory, 3-1 before this 3rd first round of qualifying for the Champions League, during which LOSC inherited Fenerbahce, the worst possible draw. Overall superior in the 2 confrontations, J.David's band made the difference in the first leg in the Hainault stadium 2-1, home, but beaten in Turkey 1-0, away at the end of regulation time. The 22 players in the match played an additional 30 minutes in the stifling atmosphere of the Ulker Fenerbahce Sukru Saracoglu Stadium during which Lille scored the 1-1 goal on a penalty from David, the deserved expulsion of A.Mandi will not change anything at the end of this meeting. Qualified for the play-offs and relieved, the Mastiffs made their debut in Ligue 1 this weekend with a trip to Reims to come. Lille will meet SK Slavia Prague in the play-offs for the Champions League.

Let's start with a little historical recap. Created in 1892, it is only since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the former USSR that SK Slavia had the chance to defend its colors in the Czech Republic championship. 7 titles on the clock since 1994, a stifling hegemony towards the end of the 2020s, nevertheless the title has not left the showcase of Sparta, the great rival, for 2 years. Qualified for the 3rd round of qualifying for the 2024-25 Champions League in the same way as our friends from Lille, the Czechs have inherited Union Saint-Gilloise. A team without many departures this summer, against which Sparta won both the first leg and the second leg 3-1/0-1. 3rd in its championship, Slavia, 10 points in 4 games, plays this weekend at home against Teplice, a mid-table team.

For now, the transfer window is masterfully controlled by Olivier Létang and his managers. At a press conference this week, the former PSG leader even suggested that new players could arrive. “Our transfer window is not over,” he declared regarding possible arrivals. For the moment, the undesirable Yacizi (free), the little used Cavaleiro (free) and the closeted Adam Ounas (free) have therefore left the North of France at the will of LOSC. The departure of Lenny Yoro (62,000,000th) is above all a financial boon, his absence in central defense cannot be replaced in the short term. In the opposite direction, the young midfielder Mukau (FC Mechelen), the full-back Thomas Meunier (Trabzonspor), the Algerian international Aissa Mandi, and the quite promising Ethan Mbappé (PSG) arrived at the club. On top of that,  Bayo (Le Havre) returned from loan and came on as a substitute against Fenerbahce. Although they are undoubtedly attracting envy after their successful season last year, Canadian center forward David (19 goals) and Kosovar Zhegrova (6 goals, 6 assists) are still there. The transfer window is coming to an end in 2 weeks, and the prospect of the Champions League is gaining momentum after the success against Fenerbahce. Lille is on track to keep them both. Affected by heart problems in recent months, the excellent midfielder Bentaleb risks no longer being able to continue his career. Also missing long-term injured Umtiti and Bouaddi. Already often dismissed last year, Miramon and Fernandes were not included on the UEFA list. Suspended in the league, E.

Zhegrova hopes to see himself started this evening, he who was a substitute on both the first and second legs against J.Mourinho's Fenerbahce. If on the Lille side, the absences with which LOSC must deal are not vital for the smooth running of operations, Sparta is on the other hand reduced by a few captains. It is in fact the entire main base which could miss the first leg. Firstly, the starting goalkeeper J.Stanek (13 caps in the Czech Republic) will not play. He is replaced by his 2024-25 understudy, the young Kinsky who arrived urgently this year. Behind, holder in central defense, Tomas Vlcek (2 selections) is out, like the rookie Shaloupek in the same position, and finally the left piston holder and also international, Ondrej Zmrzly. None of these 3 boys participated in last week's return against Union Saint-Gilloise. For its summer transfer window, Slavia has kept its main executives. Only O.Lingr preferred to join Feyenoord in the Netherlands, on the contrary Tomas Chory arrives directly from Plzen (11 goals in 2023-24, 3,000,000), the 3rd best team in the Czech championship behind the ogres of Prague. On the offensive side, we find the formidable Chytil (16 goals, 4 assists) and the more experienced Jurecka (19 goals, 6 assists) while the Norwegian Wallem (5 goals, 5 assists) is also operational.