Lille vs Lorient Prediction & Betting Tips - Ligue 1

Prediction published on 13/01/2024, 22:01  by Joseph King in Ligue 1 Predictions

Matchday 18 of the French Ligue 1 sees fifth-place LOSC Lille hosting relegation-threatened Lorient in 17th-place. Lille should be coming into this match in high spirits after blasting 12 goals past lower-division Golden Lion in the Coupe de France last weekend. Les Dogues will now get back to Ligue 1 play in their first league fixture following the winter break. The hosts did not end on a good note prior to the holiday season as they drew twice and lost 2-1 to Strasbourg in their most recent league fixture. They’ll now return to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy where they have been excellent this campaign. Lille has lost only once on home soil this season across all competitions, posting a total home record of 9-2-1. Paulo Fonseca’s side has built their success this season off of their defensive solidity. They rank as the second-best defensive side in the league with only 14 goals allowed.

Things haven’t gone according to plan for Lorient this season following up on a solid 10th-place finish last year. Les Merlus are currently in the drop zone with a total of only 12 points from the first 17 matches of the season. There’s still time to turn things around for Regis Le Bris and his team with 17 matches still to play. Lorient trail safety by four points and sit two points behind Toulouse in 16th-place. The visitors come into this matchup still searching for their first away win of the season after going 0-3-5 in their first eight trips. Their most recent match was a 2-1 away loss to Sochaux in the French Cup, marking the fourth defeat in a row and their sixth loss in the last seven games. Lorient have been terrible defensively as of late and have conceded 16 goals in their last six matches.