Prematch: Lille vs Ajaccio
Lille will aim to extend their unbeaten home run as Ajaccio visits
Published: April 28, 2023 16:16
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After drawing with Auxerre, Les Dogues are eager to face AC Ajaccio at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Saturday and close in on a place in the top four. Kickoff begins at 16:00 (GMT+1).
AC Ajaccio Struggling to Avoid Relegation After Five Game Winless Streak
AC Ajaccio haven’t won in five games after being held to a goalless draw by Brest at the weekend. Despite playing most of the second half without their full complement after Yoann Touzghar [R.66′] was sent off shortly after halftime, they managed to salvage one point by holding onto it to secure an important point on paper. Ajaccio are currently 19th place with 22 points (six wins, four draws and 22 losses) ahead of this fixture with Lille. They currently lie 10 points short of safety with just six games left to go until relegation becomes likely. Ajaccio have scored only twice in six matches so far this season; nonetheless, despite having the worst attack in the league, they will look to strike against Lille this Saturday. Olivier Pantaloni could come into their 4–4–2 formation involving Romain Hamouma and Mounaim El Idrissy as attackers; Yoann Touzghar will miss this weekend’s game due to being banned following receiving a red card against Brest, while Mickael Alphonse may still play.
Lille Look to Extend Home Winning Streak Against Lyon, Aim to Narrow Top-Four Gap
Lille were unable to break past Auxerre and had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Stade Pierre-Mauroy last weekend, leaving them unbeaten through two games but dropping back from fifth position to 5th with 56 points after 16 Wins, 8 Draws, and 8 Losses. Lille are five points shy of making the top four but can close in with a victory against Lyon on Tuesday night and narrow the gap. Les Dogues have won each of their previous eight Ligue 1 meetings against Les Bears so are keen to add one more victory against them this time around. Since November 2019, Les Dogues are on an impressive seven-game home winning streak against newly promoted sides such as Ajaccio since November 2019. Over those seven episodes, Les Dogues scored 21 times while conceding only three goals! Lille have also maintained an unbeaten home streak of 13 L1 home games [9W, 4D, 0L], an ongoing unbeaten streak that remains the longest in the league and Lille’s longest home streak since their 14-game unbeaten run at home back in 2011. Paulo Fonseca will likely field a 4-2-3–1 formation led by Jonathan David against AC Ajaccio on Saturday. David leads his club in goalscoring with 21 and accounts for 44% of AC Ajaccio’s 57 goals scored this season. Neither Tiago Djalo or Adam Ounas is available and are considered unlikely starters at this weekend’s game.
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