Lille vs Olimpija Ljubljana prediction 20.09.2023

• Competition: Europa Conference League
• Date: Wednesday, 20th September 2023
• Kickoff: 15:30 UK / 16:30 CEST
• Venue: Stade Pierre-Mauroy (Villeneuve d'Ascq)

On Wednesday afternoon, the fifth-best French team from last season will face off against Slovenian champs in the first round of the Europa Conference League Group phase. 

Last season, Lille barely made it to Europe, finishing 5th, just two points above Monaco, which crumbled in the last few games of the season. Their main problem last season was their road record, as they won only 36% of their points away from home. Those away struggles continued this season, while at home, the Mastiffs are on an incredible streak, winning 11 games (friendlies included), and because of it (among other things), they are a massive favorite for the upcoming game.

Olimpija Ljubljana have been among the top three teams in Slovenia in the previous eight seasons and have won the league title twice. Last season, along with winning the league title, The Dragons also managed to win the Cup title. This year, Olimpija Ljubljana started the Slovenian league well with 15 points in seven rounds, but their results in Europe have been mediocre so far.

Lille vs Olimpija Ljubljana pick: Over 2.5 goals

Lille were three times over 2.5 goals in the last five matches. But, as we mentioned, they are incredible at home and very much capable of scoring two or three goals on their own. Last year, primarily due to a good offensive record, 69% of Lille's home league games finished with three or more goals.

Olimpija Ljubljana have already played 15 games this season because they had to play European Qualifiers from the 1st round. From those 15 matches, The Dragons were 11 times over 2.5 goals - 73%. They showed they can score on the road and, in seven games, failed to score only vs Galatasaray but had their chances even in that match. So, we might see them scoring in France in the upcoming game, but on the other hand, their defense has big problems keeping their net intact and still hasn't had a clean sheet on the road this season.