It seems that the magic of the sensational Auxerre faded in November, when the newcomer to the elite division came close to the European competition zone. Lille should have no trouble overcoming this not-so-strong opponent, against whom everyone has learned to play a low block.**
Auxerre’s impressive attack has been delightfully surprising — legendary Djibril Cissé is in charge of the offense in Pelissier's staff (which explains their 24 goals in 16 matches). On the other hand, the white-and-blues have managed to earn only 2 points out of a possible 12 since the beginning of December, conceding seven goals in four matches. The newcomer to Ligue 1 is fortunate that their opponents haven't been highly prolific in their matches and have squandered many goal-scoring opportunities (with a xGA of 31.06, they rank sixth from the bottom).
Lille could be considered a similar sensation when looking at the broader scope of European football. After winning against Sturm (3:2), the "Dogs" inserted themselves into the top 8 of the Champions League group stage, and the draw with Nantes (1:1) this past weekend extended their unbeaten streak to 18 matches. Most likely, the team coached by Gourvennec will part ways with Jonathan David during the winter transfer window — the Canadian will leave as a free agent, so he’ll want to shine in the next six months.
Lille is among the top four in the league by xG (28.73), so Auxerre's defense will face a serious test on Friday. I believe the underdog will struggle against this pressure and won’t manage to find a stable performance.
