Lille vs Angers Prediction & Betting Tips (24 August)

Unlike most of its competitors in Ligue 1, Lille has already resumed competition for several weeks. Indeed, Losc had qualified for the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League following its 4th final place obtained last year. The northern club was also able to overcome the Fenerbahce obstacle by winning the first leg 2-1 then holding off the Istanbulites in the return 1-1. Tuesday evening, the Mastiffs took a further step towards qualification in C1 by winning the first leg of the play-offs against Slavia Prague 2-0 before the return scheduled for next week in the Czech Republic. In the championship, Bruno Genesio's men also got off to a very good start by securing three points on the Reims pitch last Saturday 0-2.

Angers, for its part, does not have the same status at the start of this new exercise . Last in the ranking during its last season played in the elite, Sco had logically been relegated to the lower level where it was then able to bounce back and take 2nd final place in the ranking last year behind AJ Auxerre. Back at the highest level of French football, Alexandre Dujeux's men will above all seek to keep their heads above water and distance themselves from the red zone but they got off to a bad start in s losing at home last Sunday against RC Lens 0-1. A fairly predictable defeat after the setbacks suffered in preparation against Le Mans 2-0, Rennes 2-1 and Lorient 1-2.

Lille did not wish to retain the undesirables Yacizi (free), Cavaleiro (free) Miramon (loan), Tiago Morais (loan) and Adam Ounas (free) who were therefore pushed towards the exit. More annoyingly, defense boss Lenny Yoro has packed his bags for Manchester United. Conversely, the Mastiffs targeted midfielder Mukau (FC Mechelen), full-back Thomas Meunier (Trabzonspor), Algerian international Aissa Mandi (Villarreal), and the quite promising Ethan Mbappé (PSG) who have all been enrolled. Although not always convincing, Bayo (Le Havre) returned from loan while the center forward Canadian David (19 goals last year) and Kosovar Zhegrova (6 goals, 6 assists) are still at the club for the moment. The two men also scored in the C1 play-offs on Tuesday evening. Plagued by serious heart problems, the excellent midfielder Bentaleb is obviously absent. The long-term injured Umtiti and Bouaddi, and the unfortunate Angel Gomes, victim of a big shock against Reims, will be absent.

It is not impossible that Bruno Genesio will rotate his squad in anticipation of the C1 return match against Slavia Prague next week. Thus, David or Zhegrova could be preserved at kick-off as was the case last week. On the Sco side, right-back Valery (4 assists in L2 last year, Sheffield Wednesday) is the only element to have left the squad. On the other hand, the Belkebla circles (ex-Best notably) and Aholou (Strasbourg), the lateral Arcus (Vitesse), the former Bordeaux players Ekomie and Biumla, and the winger Allevinah (Clermont) were all convinced by the Angevin project. The last city should not be available for this poster, any more than the very valuable El Melali (8 goals, 5 assists last year in Ligue 2) and the slightly less important Lopy and Kalumba. Author of 15 goals in L2 last year, center forward Diony (15 goals) will finally have to prove his qualities in the elite just like the Algerian Abdelli (9 goals, 2 assists).