UEL Preview: Lille vs Ajax, Key-stats, Line-ups, Odds, Prediction

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Ajax will begin their Europa League journey this season when they travel to France to take on French giants Lille in the first leg of the quarter-final stage of the Europa League.

Stadium: Stade Pierre Mauroy

Key Statistics

  • Lille have lost just two of their last 15 Europa League games at home (W7, D6, L2).
  • They have kept only five clean sheets in five out of 15 home UEL games.
  • However, they are yet to concede a goal in six of their last competitive games.
  • Ajax are on a 13-game unbeaten run (W11, D2)
  • However, Ajax are without a goal in 204 minutes of a UEFA competition.

Lille 

Lille qualified for this stage of the competition as the second-best team in their group behind AC Milan. They finished the group stage on 11 points, with three wins, two draws and a loss in six group stage games.

They head into this tie with just one loss in their last competitive games (W10, D2). In that period they conceded just six goals and kept nine clean sheets.

On current form, they will fancy their chances against Ajax but must be in their best shape if they must win against the Amsterdam giants.

Possible Lille line-ups

Mike Maignan, Mehmet Celik, Jose Fonte, Tiago Djalo, Reinildo, Jonathan Bamba, Xeka, Benjamin Andre, Luiz Araujo, Nanitamo Ikone, Jonathan David.

Ajax

The Dutch powerhouse are one of the teams to watch in this year’s Europa League. They qualified for this stage of the tournament after finishing third in their Champions League group, behind English champions Liverpool and Serie A side, Atalanta.

After struggling in the early stages of this season, the visitors have picked up momentum and are heading into this tie top of the Eredivisie table.

They are certainly a team on form and full of confidence as they have won all of their last eight matches. Their last defeat came 13 games ago, in their last European game against Atalanta.

Possible Ajax line-ups

Martin Stekelenburg, Devyne Rensch, Perr Schuurs, Lisandro Martinez, Daley Blind, Ryan Gravenberg, Edson Alvarez, Dusan Tadic, Davvy Klaassen, Anthony, Lassina Traore.

Betting Odds

Lille : Draw : Ajax :: 2.55 : 3.30 : 2.75

Prediction

Both teams are on a good run of form and will fancy their chances against each other.

Although Ajax look the most likely to just win this tie as their attack remains one of the best in Europe. But Lille are hard to break down, making this tie a very trickery tie.

Lille 1-1 Ajax