The Matchday 6 clash in the 2024/25 Champions League group stage between Lille (France) and Sturm Graz (Austria) will take place on December 11 at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium. Lille vs. Sturm Graz: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Georgi Kabakov (Bulgaria)
Matches – 8 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 44;
Average yellow cards per match – 5.5;
Red cards shown – 0;
Average fouls per match – 22;
Penalties – 0%.
Predicted lineups for Lille vs. Sturm Graz
Lille (4-5-1): Lucas Chevalier – Thomas Meunier, Bafodé Diakité, Alexsandro Ribeiro, Gabriel Gudmundsson – Benjamin André, Ngalayel Mukau, Hákon Arnar Haraldsson, Matias Fernandez Pardo, Osame Sahraoui – Jonathan David.
Sturm Graz (4-3-1-2): Daniil Khudyakov – Dimitri Lavalee, Gregory Wüthrich, Emanuel Aiwu, Niklas Geyrhofer – Otar Kiteishvili, Lovro Zvonarek, Tomi Horvat – William Böving – Sidi Yatta, Mika Biereth.
Lille
Bruno Génésio's side claimed a 2-1 away victory over Bologna in the last round. As a result, Lille extended their unbeaten run in the Champions League to four matches (3 wins, 1 draw). Additionally, the team scored more than one goal for only the second time in their last six matches in this European competition. In the standings, the French side climbed to 12th place with ten points.
Defenders Tiago Santos and Samuel Umtiti, midfielders Angel Gomes, Ethan Mbappé, Nabil Bentaleb, and forward Edon Zhegrova will miss the match due to injuries.
- The club has not lost in regular time in 7 of their last 8 home matches in the Champions League (4 wins, 3 draws).
- Lille has not conceded more than one goal in 90 minutes in 7 of their last 8 home games in this European competition.
- The number "1" has appeared in the scoreline at the end of regular time in 5 of Lille's last 6 home matches in the Champions League.
Sturm Graz
In the last round, Jürgen Seumel's side defeated Girona 1-0 at home. As a result, Sturm Graz ended their six-match losing streak in the Champions League and earned their first points in the group stage, placing 29th with three points. Notably, the Austrian team has scored only two goals in this Champions League campaign, with only Bologna having a lower tally. In terms of goals conceded (6), Sturm Graz is surpassed by only eight clubs.
Goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen and defender Aleksandar Borkovic will miss the match due to injuries. Defender Jusuf Gazibegovic is suspended.
- The team has not won in regular time in their last ten away matches in the Champions League (2 draws, 8 losses).
- The club has not scored more than once in 90 minutes in their last seven away games in the Champions League.
- The Austrians have conceded exactly one or two goals in regular time in 6 of their last 7 away matches in this European competition.
Lille vs. Sturm Graz: Match Prediction
Even in European home matches, Lille prioritizes defensive solidity. This approach has been effective, as the team has not conceded more than one goal in 7 of their last 8 home matches in the Champions League, achieving five clean sheets during this period. However, their attacking prowess is less consistent, having scored at least two goals in only two of their last 19 home games in this European competition.
Sturm Graz adopts a similar strategy, preferring a counter-attacking style and lacking high-scoring capabilities. Over their last seven away matches in the Champions League, the club has allowed more than two goals only once, while conceding just one goal in four instances. During the same span, the Austrians have never scored more than one goal.
I believe defense will prevail over attack in this encounter. My prediction: Total under 2.5 goals
