Chelsea vs Lille Prediction & Betting Tips - Champions League

Prediction published on 21/02/2022, 05:23  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 21/02/2022 at 06:23 in Champions League Predictions

Chelsea are back in business after their triumph in the Club World Cup and will continue with the defence of their European title with a home game against Lille in the Round of 16. The Blues needed a late winner to see off Crystal Palace in their weekend game, marking a fifth straight win and a sixth game unbeaten. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy returned to action after missing for the better part of the year due to participation in the AFCON 2021. With yet another clean sheet, the Senegalese will be very confident heading to his game and especially after managing four in the six group games. Generally, Chelsea have improved defensively, with three clean sheets in the last five matches and they’ve only lost once in their last 10 matches. In the last four Champions League matches, Chelsea are unbeaten and in three of them, they’ve scored three or more goals, and at home in the same competition, they have four wins and four clean sheets.

This draw was always going to be tough on Lille, and the fact that Chelsea are coming from winning the Club World Cup enhances Lille’s place as the underdogs. Domestically, Lille are struggling, and there’s no chance they will be able to successfully defend their Ligue 1 title. It looks even bleaker going into this game, having suffered two losses in the last four matches and with just one win in the four games. Twice in their last four matches, Lille have failed to score and though they have clean sheets in the last two matches, they have conceded eight goals in the last five. A 5-1 mauling at home to PSG was a statement at the difference in class between Lille and the elite sides, but they recovered to beat Montpellier 1-0 and in their most recent game, they drew 0-0 with Metz. The French side has three clean sheets only in the last 10 matches. This is the second time in their history to get to the round of 16 and they will be determined to advance further. It isn’t their first time meeting Chelsea; the two sides faced off in 2019 and Chelsea won both games 4-2 on aggregate.