Lille vs Sturm Graz Prediction, Preview, Team News, and Lineups | UEFA Champions League, December 11, 2024

Lille vs Sturm Graz Preview

Tournament: UEFA Champions League

Date: Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Time: 5:45 pm GMT

Venue: Stade Pierre-Mauroy

Lille will host Sturm Graz at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in an important UEFA Champions League clash for both sides on Wednesday, December 11.

Lille are 12^th in the UCL league-stage table after five games with three wins, one draw, and one defeat. They have 10 points and are level on points with sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen but behind on goal difference. With the table evidently so tight, the race for finishing in the top 8 is set to go down to the wire. With three games remaining, every point could be crucial.

Sturm Graz, meanwhile, are hoping to get into the top 24 and qualify for the playoff round. They are 29^th in the table after five games with one win and three defeats. They sit three points behind 24^th-placed Real Madrid. They will likely need to win at least two of their remaining three games to qualify.

Hence, the match holds great importance for both sides.

Lille Team News

Lille are without Angel Gomes, Ethan Mbappe, Nabil Bentaleb, Samuel Umtiti, and Tiago Santos due to their respective injuries. Santos is out for the entire season due to an ACL injury.

Sturm Graz Team News

Sturm Graz will be without Jusuf Gazibegovic against Lille due to a suspension. Meanwhile, Alexandar Borkovic and Kjell Scherpen are out due to their respective injuries.

Predicted Lineups

Lille predicted lineup (4-2-3-1):

Goalkeeper: Lucas Chevalier

Defenders: Aissa Mandi, Bafode Diakite, Alexsandro Ribeiro, Gabriel Gudmundsson

Midfielders: Benjamin Andre, Ngla Ayel Mukau, Hakon Arnar Haraldsson

Attackers: Edon Zhegrova, Jonathan David, Mathias Fernandez-Pardo

Sturm Graz predicted lineup (4-2-3-1):

Goalkeeper: Daniil Khudyakov

Defenders: Dimitri Lavalee, Niklas Geyrhofer, Jusuf Gazibegovic, Gregory Wuthrich

Midfielders: Otar Kiteishvili, Tochi Chukwuani, William Boving

Attackers: Malick Junior Yalcouye, Erencan Yadrimci, Mika Biereth

Lille vs Sturm Graz H2H Record

In their previous two meetings, Lille have won once while the other match ended in a draw.

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Key Players to watch in Lille vs Sturm Graz

Jonathan David

The Canadian striker was linked with a number of top European clubs last summer but he eventually ended up staying at Lille. He has only seen his stocks rise further this season after his performances.

Jonathan David has scored 17 goals and provided three assists in 23 games across competitions this season. He’s the top scorer in Ligue 1 with 11 goals and is Lille’s top scorer across competitions. He has scored four goals in five Champions League games and will be eager to continue this run against Sturm Graz.

Mika Biereth

For Sturm Graz, Mika Biereth has been the leader in attack this season. He arrived at the club permanently this summer from Arsenal U21 after a six-month loan spell last season. He has scored 13 goals and provided five assists in 24 games across competitions this season.

Biereth is Sturm Graz’s top scorer this season and is also among the top three assist providers. He’s recorded four goals and three assists in his last four games across competitions.

He scored the only goal in their 1-0 win over Girona in their last Champions League game. If Sturm Graz are to beat Lille, Biereth will likely play a key role.

Lille vs Sturm Graz Prediction

Lille have largely been excellent this season and churned out some incredible results. They have beaten the likes of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid and are going strong in the Champions League.

The French side are unbeaten in their last 14 games across competitions but have three wins in their last seven games. They beat Bologna 2-1 away in their last Champions League game.

Sturm Graz, meanwhile, recorded a surprising 1-0 win over Girona at home in their last UCL game. It was their only win of the tournament this season though, having lost the previous four. They have four wins and one draw in their last five games across competitions.

Sturm Graz have shown signs of excellence this season but Lille are expected to take all three points considering their form and also factoring in their home advantage. The French side could also move into the top 8 if they win.

Predicted Score: Lille 2-0 Sturm Graz

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