Ajax v Lille Predictions & Betting Odds – 17th September 2019

Ajax can open account with a home win

Ajax v Lille Betting Tips – Champions League, 17th September 8.00pm

There is little doubt about the surprise package of last season’s UEFA Champions League. That was Ajax who came from the second qualifying round to within a touching distance of the Final. It was a stunning run from them and after another qualification campaign, the group stage action starts up for them in Amsterdam against French side Lille. Read our predictions for Ajax v Lille.

Ajax v Lille Betting Odds*

Ajax 1/2
Draw 10/3
Lille 5/1
* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on September 14th, 2019 at 5:47 p.m.)

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Ajax News and Form – Will Ajax beat Lille in opener?

It was some campaign by Ajax last season in the Champions League. It was such a long campaign as well having started in the second qualifying round. In the semi-finals, only a goal in the 96th minute of the second leg against them by Tottenham denied the Dutch side a place in the Final. They have come through the qualifiers again this season, starting in the third qualifying round. At that stage, an 85th-minute penalty from Dusan Tadic in the second leg saw Ajax taken a 5-4 aggregate win over PAOK. Ajax then beat APOEL 2-0 on aggregate, both goals coming in Amsterdam in the second leg.

Ajax 2 Goal Winning Margin
3/1

Betfair

There has been at least one goal scored by Ajax in all but one of their last fifteen Champions League games, netting in each of their last eleven straight. Before their second leg win over PAOK in the third qualifying round this season, Ajax had been winless in four European games at home. They are currently on an eight-match undefeated streak of form in Amsterdam against French visitors (W4 D4) so that’s a big positive record for them. Ajax played 18 European games in total last season, suffering just two defeats (W10 D6) knocking out Real Madrid and Juventus en route to the final.

Ajax v Lille Head to Head

This will be the first meeting between Ajax and Lille in European competition

 

Key-Facts – Ajax v Lille

  • Lille have only won three previous Champions League away games
  • Ajax were losing semi finalists last season
  • Ligue 1 side Lille are winless in five away games in Europe

 

Lille News and Form

Lille were runners up in Ligue 1 last season, a surprise finish from them there. That booked them a place in their sixth Champions League campaign. From their five previous visits to the group stage, they had only made it to the round of sixteen once. The last time that they were in the group stage was in 2012 when they finished bottom of their section which included Bayern Munich, Valencia and BATE. Lille have won two of their last four Champions League away games in the competition proper.

However, that needs to be put into context as Lille have won only three of their previous 16 away games in the Champions League (D4 L9). They have failed to win any of their last five away games in Europe, most recently losing in the qualifiers of the 2016 Europa League. Their one previous competitive game in the Netherlands ended in a 3-1 loss against PSV Eindhoven. That was in the 2010/11 Europa League. While Lille have a perfect home record in the French top-flight this season, they have lost their two away games.

Ajax v Lille Tips & Odds

Ajax to win to nil at 8/5
Both teams NOT to score at 19/20
* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on September 14th, 2019 at 5:47 p.m.)

Ajax v Lille Predictions

Ajax to win: The Dutch side, despite losing some key players in the summer, should be strong enough on home soil to claim the win in this one. Lille are likely to be a bit of a handful on home soil, but they could have some difficult away days in this group.