January 4, 2025, 8:00 p.m. Villeneuve-d’Ascq. Pierre-Mauroy Stadium.
League 1. Day 16
Suspensions : Hills (Small)
Injured: Santos, Umtiti, Bentaleb, Gomes, Mbappe – Kadevere
Lille vs Nantes: Betting Odds
Lille will look to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions with a home win against Nantes on Matchday 16 of Ligue 1. Currently in the top 4, the ‘Dogs’ are just three points behind Marseille and Monaco . Nantes finished the year outside the relegation zone, but a fierce fight for survival awaits Antoine Kombouaré’s side in 2025.
Lille
A 16-match unbeaten run was threatened in their last League match, when Lille trailed until the final minutes at the Vélodrome. However, a late equalizer from Diakite snatched a draw, and a few days later the “Dogs” secured a victory in the round of 32 of the Coupe de France, remaining unbeaten since mid-September.
In their last five Champions League matches, Lille have accumulated 13 points and qualified for the knockout stage, remaining in contention to start from the knockout stages. In the League, although they are not as dominant, their recent wins and draws have kept them in the top 4, just three points behind second and third place. It is also worth noting that their competitors are very close, with three teams just three points behind.
At home this season, Lille have been impressive in all competitions, with eight wins, three draws and just one defeat against PSG in September. The ‘Dogs’ have only failed to score in two games this campaign, which explains why the League’s top scorer comes from their squad. David has 11 goals. Lille have an extraordinary unbeaten home run that stretches to 32 games, marking the club’s best performance in 65 years. These successful streaks are likely to continue, as Nantes has proven to be a favorable opponent for the ‘Dogs’ in recent years. Lille won 13 matches and remained undefeated in 17 meetings against the “Canaries”.
Nantes
Nantes ended the year on a positive note, having won four points from their last three matches, including a draw against PSG away and a narrow victory against Rennes at home. This allowed them to finish above the relegation zone, with a two-point cushion over Le Havre and one over Angers and Saint-Étienne. Additionally, a resounding 4-0 win over Drancy saw them progress to the Coupe de France, a competition that has brought the “Canaries” much joy in recent years, reaching the final in both 2022 and 2023, and winning the latter.
However, Nantes often find themselves fighting for survival in Ligue 1, and this season is no exception. After starting the season with seven points, the “Canaries” suffered a series of ten games without a win, finally breaking it against Rennes, before suffering a heavy defeat in Brest (1-4), managing to collect the same number points in their last 12 games than in the first three – a total of 7. As a result, Kombouaré’s position is once again under threat, although the Nantes hierarchy are struggling to find an ideal replacement, having brought him back for a second mandate.
Away, apart from a sensational draw against PSG, Nantes has little to boast about. They regularly score in away games, but they often concede two or more goals in return, which explains their four defeats in the last five away games. Changing this trend in Pierre-Mauroy will be an extremely difficult task.
Lille vs Nantes: Expected Teams
Santos, Umtiti, Bentaleb, Gomes and Mbappe will miss the match for Lille due to injuries, and Bakker is suspended. For Nantes, only Kadevere is absent.
Lille vs Nantes: Author’s Prediction
Lille rarely struggles to take points at home, especially against teams from the bottom of the table. Therefore, I expect the hosts to secure a convincing victory, ideally by at least two goals.
