Our prediction for this Champions League match:
All eyes will be on Stade Pierre-Mauroy when Lille and Real Madrid square off against each other in a highly-anticipated Champions League game. Les Dogues aim to put an end to their five-game winless run, but they will have a mountain to climb in Wednesday’s encounter. As important midfielder Angel Gomes is banned for the match due to his sending-off in a 2-0 loss to Sporting CP, home win should not be considered. All Bentaleb, Haraldsson, Ismaily, Mukau, and Umtiti are out of contention with injuries.
Los Blancos, on the other hand, produced a fine display in a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid at the weekend despite Kylian Mbappe’s injury. The France superstar has overcome his problem, but all Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba, Dani Ceballos, and Brahim Diaz remain in the recovery room. Anyhow, Carlo Ancelotti still has a number of high-profile players to choose from and we predict that the Spanish giants are going to prove their worth on the field.
Highlighted Player (Kylian Mbappé):
Kylian Mbappe is a French footballer who plays for Paris Saint-Germain as a forward. The French rising star began his youth career at AS Bondy and in 2013 he moved to AS Monaco. After making 12 appearances for Monaco B, Kylian Mbappe made his debut for the senior team in 2015. Mbappe quickly established himself as a regular goalscorer, with the teenager finding the net 15 times in 29 appearances in the Ligue 1 in the 2016/2017 season.
In 2017 he moved to fellow French club PSG on loan, with the option of making the deal permanent. Kylian Mbappe scored 13 goals in 27 appearances for les Parisiens in the 2017/2018 and it has to be noted that Unai Emery’s troops eventually won the national championship.
Speaking of his international career, Mbappe played an important role for France at the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals, with the pacey rising star scoring a brace in a thrilling 4-3 win over Argentina in the last 16 of the showpiece tournament. The PSG attacker was born in Paris on December 20, 1998.
Highlighted Team (Lille):
Lille have been playing an important role in French football ever since they were founded in 1944. Les Dogues won their first domestic trophy in the 1945/1946 season.
Lille did well to win their second Ligue 1 title in 1954 and 57 years later they lifted their last domestic title. Les Douges finished the 2010/2011 season in top position in the standings, eight points clear of second-placed Olympique Marseille and it has to be noted that Lille attacker Moussa Sow won the Golden Boot (25 goals).
Lille are one of the two teams that managed to win three consecutive Coupe de France trophies (1946, 1947, 1948), but they have yet to clinch the Coupe de la Ligue title. Les Dogues faced PSG in the 2015/2016 Coupe de la Ligue trophy, but les Parisiens proved to be a big catch for Frederic Antonetti’s team in the title game.
Lille play their home matches at Stade Pierre-Mauroy and the capacity of the stadium is 50.186. The venue was opened in August, 2017 and the construction cost €282 million.