Aiming to extend an extraordinary unbeaten run into the New Year, Lille will welcome Nantes to Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Saturday.
Following a fine run of form, Les Dogues kick off 2025 sitting inside Ligue 1's top four, while their visitors are languishing at the wrong end of the table.
Match preview
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After a 1-1 draw at Marseille in their last league fixture extended Lille's undefeated streak to 16 matches - including wins over both Madrid clubs in the Champions League - they avoided an embarrassing end to that run just before Christmas.
Facing third-tier Rouen in the Coupe de France, they edged through to the last 32 with a 1-0 win secured by Ismaily's first-half strike at Stade Robert Diochon.
As a result, Lille have not lost any of their last 17 in all competitions, winning 10 times in the process, and that represents the second-longest sequence in their whole history - the target is a 19-game run set between October 1973 and March 1974.
Not only are Bruno Genesio's side in the mix to finish 'best of the rest' behind imperious Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain, with only three points separating them from second place, but they also sit inside the Champions League's top eight.
Set to visit Liverpool at Anfield soon after they reconvene with Marseille for an enticing cup tie later this month, first Les Dogues must try to start 2025 on the right note.
Having scored in each of their last 32 league matches on home turf - averaging just over two per game - they will head into Saturday's game on their best such streak for 65 years. Furthermore, Lille's recent record against Nantes is one of dominance.
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Nantes have not beaten Lille in Ligue 1 since September 2015 - a winless run that stretches to 17 matches, featuring no fewer than 13 defeats.
Their latest attempt to end that drought takes place against the backdrop of some dismal results over the past few months: Les Canaris have won only one of 12 top-flight fixtures played since the international break in September.
Having lost seven times during that period, Nantes are now just two points above the automatic relegation places, with the season's halfway stage fast approaching.
Beaten 4-1 in Brest before Christmas, they have conceded at least once in their last seven Ligue 1 away games - FCN's worst streak since 2021 - and coach Antoine Kombouare is surely in danger of being sacked for a second time by the same club.
Amid some tough times in the league, Nantes have been Coupe de France specialists over the past few years, making the final in two of the last three editions.
They booked a place in this season's last 32 by beating Drancy JA 4-0 last time out, with Matthis Abline helping himself to a brace, but their trip to Lille will present a very different test.
Team News
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Lille boss Bruno Genesio has been burdened by a long injury list for some time now, with Tiago Santos, Samuel Umtiti, Nabil Bentaleb, Angel Gomes and Ethan Mbappe all absent.
In addition, Mitchel Bakker must serve a suspension, so he will join several players in dropping out of the lineup that started in Rouen; regulars such as Alexsandro, Edon Zhegrova, Hakon Arnar Haraldsson and goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier should all return.
After finishing inside the top 10 for league goals scored in Europe last year, Canadian striker Jonathan David is set to lead the hosts' attack, amid intense speculation surrounding his future.
Meanwhile, Nantes will travel north without versatile forward Tino Kadewere, who is still sidelined by a muscular injury.
Scoring twice in FCN's pre-Christmas cup win should secure Matthis Abline a place up front, with Ignatius Ganago, Moses Simon and Mostafa Mohamed also vying for places in the final third.
Lille possible starting lineup:
Chevalier; Mandi, Diakite, Alexsandro, Gudmundsson; Andre, Mukau; Zhegrova, Haraldsson, Sahraoui; David
Nantes possible starting lineup:
Carlgren; Amian, Castelletto, Pallois, Duverne, Cozza; Chirivella, Augusto, Lepenant; Abline, Simon
We say: Lille 2-0 Nantes
No current coaches have managed more Ligue 1 games than Bruno Genesio (246) or the vastly experienced Antoine Kombouare (521), yet there has never been a draw between them in the French top flight.
That trend will continue this weekend, when a confident Lille side should make light work of Nantes, who offer little threat and continue to concede goals.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
