Preview: Lille vs. Ajax - prediction, team news, lineups

The Ligue 1 leaders take on the Eredivisie leaders in a mouthwatering Europa League showdown on Thursday as Lille welcome Ajax to the Stade Pierre-Mauroy for the first leg of their last-32 tie.

Christophe Galtier's men qualified for the knockout stages as runners-up in Group H, whereas Ajax dropped down from the Champions League after finishing third in their group.

Match preview

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Lille are still leading the way in Ligue 1 after a phenomenal first half of the campaign, but their momentum has taken a blow ahead of this game following their goalless draw with Brest in the top flight on Sunday.

The stalemate with Les Pirates saw Lille's seven-game winning run come to an abrupt end, and Paris Saint-Germain took advantage of their rivals' slip-ups to narrow the gap at the top to just one point, so Les Dogues will be desperate to rectify their weekend mistakes when they resume Europa League action this week.

Despite failing to find the back of the net against a normally leaky Brest defence, Les Dogues recorded their seventh clean sheet on the bounce in all competitions after keeping Olivier Dall'Oglio's charges at bay, and that sort of defensive resilience will be key to their chances of advancing to the last 16 of the Europa League.

Lille suffered mixed fortunes in their group-stage campaign and fell to defeat in their final game at Celtic, but three wins and two draws from their first five - including an unforgettable 3-0 triumph at San Siro - was enough to propel them into second spot behind AC Milan.

A 2-1 win over Sparta Prague was their only home triumph in Group H, but they have only suffered one defeat from 16 on familiar territory in all competitions during the current campaign, although Ajax are a team who also know a thing or two about winning streaks.

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Ajax gave it their all in the Champions League, but attempting to usurp one of Liverpool or Atalanta to a spot in the last 16 was a bridge too far for the Dutch giants, who finished third in Group D to drop down to Europe's secondary competition.

There will be no repeat of that infamous 2018-19 run on the biggest stage of them all, but given their current form across all competitions, it would be foolish to write Erik ten Hag's side off in the Europa League as they look to bring a piece of European silverware back to Amsterdam.

The Eredivisie leaders memorably reached the Europa League final as recently as the 2016-17 campaign, where they were defeated by Manchester United, but it was at this stage where they were sent packing by Getafe last season, and Ten Hag will not want to see lightning strike twice this time around.

Ajax warmed up for this tie with a routine 2-0 victory at Heracles in the Dutch top flight - a result which marked their eighth triumph on the trot in all competitions and extended their lead at the top to six points - and Ten Hag also witnessed his team dump closest challengers PSV out of the KNVB Beker quarter-finals last week.

Ajax and Lille renew hostilities after locking horns in the group stage of the 2019-20 Champions League, and it was the Dutch side who took the spoils on both occasions, with a 3-0 home win preceding a 2-0 triumph at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Lille Europa League form: WDWDWL
Lille form (all competitions): WWWWWD

Ajax form (all competitions): WWWWWW

Team News

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Lille will have to make do without midfielders Xeka and Benjamin Andre - both of whom are suspended for an accumulation of bookings - so Renato Sanches and Boubakary Soumare are set to man the engine room.

Burak Yilmaz remains in the treatment room, but Yusuf Yazici is now back for the hosts and will aim to build on the six goals he struck in the group stage, which sees him level with Benfica's Pizzi at the top of the goalscoring charts.

Former Ajax defender Sven Botman was left on the bench against Brest, but the Liverpool-linked 21-year-old will surely return to face his former club here after rumours of an exit were quashed by his agent.

Sebastien Haller has already made a huge impression at Ajax with five goals and five assists since completing his January move from West Ham United, but a farcical administrative error means that he is ineligible for the Europa League.

Lassina Traore should therefore spearhead the attack up top, but the visitors also have two suspended players in Ryan Gravenberch and Andre Onana - the latter of whom was handed a 12-month ban for a doping violation.

Right-back Noussair Mazraoui was forced off against Heracles after taking a ball to the face but should be fine for this one, while Oussama Idrissi could return from illness in time to feature as well.

Lille possible starting lineup:
Maignan; Celik, Fonte, Botman, Bradaric; Ikone, Soumare, Sanches, Bamba; David, Yazici

Ajax possible starting lineup:
Stekelenburg; Mazraoui, Martinez, Schuurs, Tagliafico; Alvarez, Blind, Klaassen; Neres, Traore, Tadic

We say: Lille 1-0 Ajax

Ajax have notched up at least two goals in their last five matches, but it remains to be seen how they will cope on the attacking front in the absence of the prolific Haller. Lille's resilient defence should welcome back an inspired Botman, who will be motivated to get one over his old club, and with star man Yazici back in the final third, we can see Les Dogues taking a narrow advantage into next week's second leg.