Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Champions League match.
For the second leg against Lille in Prague, bookmakers are giving Slavia a slight edge as favourites, although their chances of reaching the final stages of the Champions League are minimal. The French side is unlikely to squander the advantage gained in the first leg.
Slavia Prague
Despite a strong start to their campaign (a run of seven unbeaten matches), Slavia faltered against their first top-tier opponent. In France, they managed a weak xG (0.29 from 2 shots on target), while conceding 1.35 xG. The disallowed goals by Igoh Ogbu and Mojmír Chytil likely impacted the team's confidence.
Lille
Even without their suspended key defender Aïssa Mandi and five injured players, Lille demonstrated their squad depth. Their star player, Jonathan David, remained in top form, scoring 1+1 last week. Over the weekend, they handled Angers (2:0), once again creating a solid 1.24 xG from 11 shots.
Slavia Prague - Lille Prediction
It's clear that Jindřich Trpišovský is missing several injured players (seven in total), but Slavia still deserves praise for their commendable performance in the European qualification rounds. Lille is simply stronger and more consistent, and they are headed for a return to the Champions League.
