Second CL home win in history for the Bullen eleven?
Soberly speaking, Group G of this year’s Champions League season is probably the one that sounds the least spectacular. However, anything is possible because the four teams are at a similar level and there is no great favourite to be found. This became clear on the first matchday when both games ended in a draw. In the city of Mozart, the champions from Austria and France will face each other on Wednesday evening – Red Bull Salzburg welcomes Lille
While the championship of the Bullen eleven was anything but surprising, Lille sensationally beat the big favourites PSG to win the title. Currently, LOSC still has big problems and can’t build on last year’s outstanding performance. Salzburg, on the other hand, march through the games with a broad chest and brimming with self-confidence. Therefore, according to the current odds, the home side are considered relatively clear favourites for Red Bull Salzburg against Lille.
The renewed upheaval in the city of Mozart has had no effect on the quality, as the team of new coach Matthias Jaissle has gone from success to success. Lille also have a new head coach in Jocelynn Gourvennec, but ninth place after eight matchdays in Ligue 1 is absolutely disappointing. Form advantages are certainly with the bulls, qualitatively Salzburg does not have to hide from the French and it offers itself at Red Bull Salzburg against Lille tip 1 obviously.
Austria Red Bull Salzburg – Statistics & current form
Football in this day and age means a lot more “coming and going” than it did a few years ago. Especially in Salzburg, change is the only constant. Coach gone, the two best scorers gone, the third best scorer has a cruciate ligament rupture, the number one and also the long-time defensive boss were looking for a new challenge. A chance for the competition? Not at all! Salzburg’s young guns dominate the national scene at will. Nine games, nine wins and 23:4 goals, the Bullen eleven is simply unstoppable and the next championship title seems to be just a formality.
International with big ambitions
In the last two participations in the CL group stage, Salzburg were not lucky with the draw, but got tough opponents from pot one and two. This season, nobody in the city of Mozart should complain, because with Sevilla, Lille and Wolfsburg, the big hitters are missing. The chances of reaching the Champions League round of 16 for the first time are absolutely realistic.
For this to happen, however, Salzburg must also rediscover their home strength in the top flight. So far, Salzburg have won only one of nine home games in their three appearances (one still results from the 90s) (6:2 against Genk in September 2019). Speaking of many goals – these are also guaranteed with the Bulls internationally, because in the last 13 CL games no less than 58 goals were scored, on average this means a fulminant 4.46 goals per game. Therefore, a bet on over 2.5 is almost obligatory for Red Bull Salzburg against Lille
Festival of penalties in Andalusia
In the CL opener a fortnight ago, however, there were only two goals to be seen. At the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, Salzburg achieved a 1-1 draw. A result that was a bitter disappointment considering the course of the game. German international Karim Adeyemi took three (!) penalties in the first 45 minutes, but the Bullen failed twice from the spot. Sevilla also scored from the ominous spot in the person of Ivan Rakitic. Adeyemi is now just one penalty away from equalling Arjen Robben’s historic record of four penalties in 2013/14.
Predicted line-up of Red Bull Salzburg:
Köhn – Ulmer, Bernardo, Onguene, Kristensen – Seiwald, Camara, Sucic – Aaronson – Adeyemi, Okafor
Last matches played by Red Bull Salzburg:
France Lille – Statistics & current form
Exactly ten years after their surprise coup in 2010/11, the club near the Belgian borders repeated the feat and once again put their renowned rivals in their place. The 2020/21 title was probably even more surprising than ten years ago. Nevertheless, Lille had to look for a new coach, as the successful coach Christophe Galtier pulled up stakes and joined Nice. Jocelyn Gourvennec returns to the big stage after a two-year hiatus as coach and has the tough task of filling the big shoes.
Formancy to be seen
It was anything but convincing for the champions in the first few weeks in particular, with only one of the first six league games ending in a win for OSC Lille. The departures of regular goalkeeper Maignan and midfielder Soumare as well as the injury of ex-Bayern player Renato Sanches could not really be compensated. Only since the international break has there been a slight upward trend, with Lille winning their two most recent league games and now moving towards the top half of the table.
The CL opener against toothless Wölfe was also quite promising, but Lille was unable to score the decisive goal despite overwhelming superiority. The defence, however, deserved top marks, as Lille allowed just two goals against van Bommel’s team. Nevertheless, another win was missed and Lille have won only one of their last 14 CL games (1-3-10 record) or even only six of 39 games.
A small glimmer of hope is the fact that the last three Champions League victories were all on foreign grounds. On Wednesday, odds of just under 4.00 are offered for this prediction for Red Bull Salzburg against Lille.
Miss-Match Fonte vs Turbo-Offensive
This role as a rather clear underdog is a little surprising at first glance, but on closer inspection it is entirely justifiable. The strong defensive performance against Wolfsburg has been the exception so far this season. Lille have already conceded 14 goals in Ligue 1 and neither Adam Jakubech nor Ivo Grbic, on loan from Atletico Madrid, have been convincing between the posts as Maignan’s successor.
In addition, a clear miss-match will develop in the defensive centre for captain Jose Fonte. The 37-year-old Portuguese international is extremely experienced and will be able to make up for a lot with his routine, but against the incredible pace of Adeyemi & Co he will only see the back of the net. There will certainly be several opportunities here for the Bulls as the game progresses.
Predicted Lille line-up:
Grbic – Mandava, Botman, Fonte, Celik – Gomes, Andre, Xeka, Ikone – Weah, Jonathan David
Last matches played by Lille:
Red Bull Salzburg – Lille Direct comparison / H2H record
Premiere – in Wals-Siezenheim on Wednesday evening the teams of Red Bull Salzburg and OSC Lille will face each other for the first time in the club’s history. For last season’s French sensation champions, it will even be their very first competitive match against an Austrian side.
Austria Red Bull Salzburg – Lille France Tip
Salzburg’s statistics in the UEFA Champions League are certainly not convincing in view of only one home win so far, nevertheless the chances are very good that the Jaissle eleven will be jubilant on Wednesday evening. With Lille, probably the “easiest opponent” from pot 1 is coming to the city of Mozart, who, moreover, has not yet been able to build on the performances from last year. As a result, Red Bull Salzburg are seen as the clear favourites against Lille according to the odds.
The very young Bullen eleven (seven players against Sevilla were 21 years or younger in the starting line-up) acts carefree, cheeky and attacking. Respect is there, but even big names do not intimidate the Austrian industry leader. Lille, on the other hand, are on the mend, but act far more uptight than the bulls. The ease will ultimately be the deciding factor and thus six units are recommended for betting on the home side at Red Bull Salzburg against Lille.
