Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Europa League match.
Olympique Lyonnais' challenging financial situation forces the French side to deliver their best performance this campaign, with ambitions to progress further in the Europa League and secure a top-four position in Ligue 1. The trip to Qarabağ is unlikely to pose a serious test for Olympique Lyonnais, as they have already managed to overcome tougher opponents in this season's European competitions.
Qarabağ
Before their unexpected win over Bodø/Glimt (2:1), Qarabağ had suffered heavy defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax (both 0:3) and Malmö (1:2). Their last home encounter in the Europa League against Ajax was challenging due to an early sending-off of Júlio Romão, which led to Qarabağ producing only 0.09 xG compared to the opponent's 2.56. The upcoming match will be special for midfielder Yassine Benzia; the Algerian started his professional career at Olympique Lyonnais but has underperformed in the current Europa League campaign with just one assist in four games.
Olympique Lyonnais
Since their setback against Beşiktaş (0:1), Olympique Lyonnais have gone unbeaten for an entire month. In early November, they played an entertaining match against Hoffenheim (2:2), generating 0.98 xG from 11 shots with a reserve team. It’s clear that in Azerbaijan, Pierre Sage will rotate the squad once again: Nicolás Tagliafico and Duje Ćaleta-Car return to the lineup, and Georges Mikautadze will start from the first minute in attack.
Qarabağ vs Olympique Lyonnais Prediction
In eight away matches this season, Olympique Lyonnais have stumbled only once. Visiting Qarabağ, they have excellent chances to secure three points — it’s crucial for them to climb back into the top-eight of the group stage. We are backing the visitors with a reliable handicap of 0.
