Lille vs Wolfsburg
14 September 2000hrs
Football – Europe – Champions League
Pick Wolfsburg Draw No Bet
Bookmaker Betfair
Odds: 4/5 odds taken 2000 GMT, Wednesday 8 September
The Champions League group stages begin this week. Lille and Wolfsburg will be hoping to take control of Group G with a win in their opening game.
Table of Contents
Lille Preview – Can Lille put their disappointing domestic form behind them to start Champions League campaign with a win?
Lille pulled off a huge shock last season when pipping PSG to the Ligue 1 title and win their first championship in a decade. It wasn’t a fluke either, as they finished second two years previous and were deserving of their success. Much has changed since that triumph, though, as Christophe Galtier has moved to Nice to begin a new project with Jocelyn Gourvennec taking over. A surprise appointment in some ways having been out of work since 2019 following Guingamp’s relegation.
It’s been an underwhelming start from the new regime, though, with just one win in their first five Ligue 1 games. That leaves them sitting in 12th place and already 10 points behind leaders PSG which suggests a repeat of their feat from last season is unlikely.
Lille registered their second defeat of the season when losing 2-1 away to Lorient at the weekend. That follows an earlier (humiliating) loss to Nice and their former coach whilst sharing the points with Saint Etienne and Metz. Lille’s only victory so far came immediately before the international break when defeating Montpellier.
There hasn’t been the mass exodus in terms of the playing squad that many expected over the summer. The majority remain and the evergreen Burak Yilmaz continues to lead by example. The veteran Turkish striker has two goals in five matches following an impressive haul of 16 goals in the title-winning season.
Wolfsburg Preview – Will Wolfsburg’s winning start continue under van Bommel?
This will be Wolfsburg’s first participation in the Champions League in six seasons. Their last experience led them to the quarter-finals when they lost 4-2 on aggregate to eventual winners Real Madrid. Mark van Bommel will not be thinking that far ahead but the group they have been drawn is does present a good opportunity to reach the knockout stages.
Things couldn’t be going any better for van Bommel since he took over during the summer. His team have a 100% record and sit top of the Bundesliga. A 2-0 win away to Greuther Furth at the weekend comes on the back of victories over Bochum, Hertha Berlin and RB Leipzig before the break.
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The football is probably best described as functional rather than free-flowing but it is effective. Six goals in those four wins and just one conceded goes a long way to proving that. It continues a similar sort of approach which seen them finish fourth last season with the second best defensive approach in the league.
Lukas Nmecha is also making a mark early on in his Wolfsburg career. He had a spell on loan a couple of seasons ago without really impressing but has made a permanent move from Manchester City following 18 goals in the Belgian top-flight with Anderlecht.
Lille vs Wolfsburg Betting Advice
With Sevilla and Salzburg making up this section each and every team will feel they have a realistic chance of progressing to the knockout stages. The absence of any of the super clubs could see this as one of the most competitive groups and give a chance of from freshness come the last-16.
Key Facts – Lille vs Wolfsburg Betting Tip
- Lille have started their season slowly following their excellent title winning campaign
- Mark van Bommel has a 100% record since taking over as Wolfsburg coach
- These teams last met in the 2014/15 Europa League with Wolfsburg winning 3-0 in France
Wolfsburg are definitely the team in better form just now and it will be about how they handle the occasion having not had any recent experience of the Champions League. Despite that, they look to be the more settled side and can leave France without losing. Take them in the draw no bet market.
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