Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Ligue 1 match.
A superb first half of the season for Lille is expected to continue with a similarly productive spell in 2025. They are seen as clear favourites in their clash with Nantes, who occasionally challenge the top teams but still languish in the lower half of the table.
Lille
Lille extended their unbeaten run to 17 matches by overcoming Rouen (1:0) in the Coupe de France—their last setback was back in mid-September. Since then, they have defeated Real Madrid (1:0) and Atlético Madrid (3:1) in the Champions League and earned a draw with Juventus (1:1). By xG, Lille rank in the top four of Ligue 1 (27.60), and with only 15 goals conceded—they boast a defence bettered only by Paris Saint-Germain and Lens (both with 14).
Nantes
In the final round of 2024, Nantes suffered a painful defeat to Stade Brestois (1:4), marking their sixth loss in nine rounds since early October. They are ranked in the lower half in terms of expected goals scored (18.89) and conceded (22.68), with Stade Brestois requiring just 1.83 xG for a resounding win. Forward Moses Simon (4+5) has stood out in recent seasons, but the Nigerian has become a familiar target for tight marking in France.
Lille vs Nantes Prediction
In their last 10 encounters, Lille have defeated Nantes eight times, with two draws. They are likely to create plenty of chances against this unstable underdog and secure all three points.
