Lille vs Ajax prediction, preview, team news and more

The UEFA Europa League returns to the fold with an intriguing round-of-32 clash this week as Dutch champions Ajax take on Lille at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Thursday. Both teams have been excellent this season and will want to win this game.

Ajax have been the best team in the Netherlands yet again this season and are the favourites to win the Eredivisie title. The Dutch giants eased past local opponents Heracles over the weekend and will be confident ahead of this fixture.

Lille have exceeded expectations this season and are currently engaged in a battle with Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon for the Ligue 1 crown. The French outfit played out a 0-0 stalemate over the weekend and will need to take it up a notch in the Europa League on Thursday.

Lille vs Ajax Head-to-Head

Ajax have a flawless record against Lille as far as official European fixtures are concerned and have won both matches played between the two teams. Lille have never scored a goal against Ajax on the European front and will need to be at their best in this game.

The previous meetings between the two teams took place in the UEFA Champions League in 2019 and ended in comfortable 2-0 and 3-0 victories for Ajax. Lille have improved over the past year and have a point to prove in this match.

Lille form guide: D-W-W-W-W

Ajax form guide: W-W-W-W-W

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Lille vs Ajax Team News

Lille

Lille forward Burak Yilmaz is currently injured and will be replaced by Jonathan David against Ajax this week. Jeremy Pied has recovered from his injury and will be included in the squad.

Injured: Burak Yilmaz

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Ajax

Andre Onana has been slapped with a ban and is currently unavailable for selection. Ajax have several impressive players in their ranks and will want to find the back of the net against Lille.

Injured: None

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Andre Onana

Lille vs Ajax Predicted XI

Lille Predicted XI (4-4-2): Mike Maignan; Reinildo, Jose Fonte, Sven Botman, Mehmet Zeki Celik; Luiz Araujo, Benjamin Andre, Renato Sanches, Jonathan Bamba; Yusuf Yazici, Jonathan David

Ajax Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Maarten Stekelenburg; Nicolas Tagliafico, Daley Blind, Perr Schuurs, Noussair Mazraoui; Edson Alvares, Ryan Gravenberch; Antony, Davy Klaassen, Dusan Tadic; Sebastian Haller

Lille vs Ajax Prediction

Lille have been in stunning form this season and will be intent on winning silverware this season. The French side has impressive players in its ranks and can trouble Ajax in this game.

Ajax have plenty of European experience, however, and their cutting edge under Erik ten Hag has often made them an irresistible force. Lille are sure to give the Dutch giants a run for their money but will have to be wary against a team that can be unstoppable on its day.

Prediction: Lille 1-2 Ajax

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About the author

Aditya is a European and international football writer at Sportskeeda, covering previews, news, post-match articles and live blogs for 5 years. During his time here, he has had the privilege of covering a press meeting during the collaboration between his favorite club Bengaluru FC and Sevilla, where he got a chance to interact with Sevilla president Jose Castro and explore the grassroots development in his city.

Aditya started following the sport after being dazzled by Ronaldinho’s silky feet at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He is a Barcelona fan and unsurprisingly, his favorite manager and players are Pep Guardiola and Andres Iniesta respectively. He admires the latter for his superhuman talent and his off-pitch demeanor, and his winning goal in Spain’s 2010 World Cup final win over the Netherlands left a lasting impact on Aditya.

The match-preview specialist believes that his ongoing five-year stint at Sportskeeda has given him the ability to identify the distinct line between emotional and fact-based articles, which separates him from other journalists. For him, fact-checking is the most integral part of his writing process and he only relies on authentic platforms for data.

Aditya is a semi-professional pianist and likes to participate in concerts and recitals when not immersed in football.

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Edited by Aditya Hosangadi

Lille vs Ajax prediction, preview, team news and more | UEFA Europa League 2020-21