While Celta Vigo have had a perfect record against French opposition in the UEFA Europa League this season, they will battle Lyon, the best team in the league phase, for a place in the last eight.
The Ligue 1 giants were on a 13-match winning streak just three weeks ago but have failed to win any of their four games since then.
Estadio Abanca Balaidos will host the first leg of this round of 16 tie, which is scheduled for Thursday night.
Read our Celta Vigo vs Lyon prediction, preview and betting tips with odds from bet365. You can also check out our Today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
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Celta Vigo vs Lyon key stats
- Four of Lyon's last five matches produced goals at both ends.
- At least three goals were scored in five of Celta Vigo's last seven games.
- Lyon have won seven of their eight fixtures in the UEFA Europa League this season.
Celta Vigo vs Lyon preview: Can the visitors return to winning ways?
| Celta Vigo | vs | Lyon |
|---|---|---|
| 6th (La Liga) | Position | 4th (Ligue 1) |
| 40 | Points | 46 |
| 37 | Goals For | 40 |
| 30 | Goals Against | 27 |
| 8 | Clean Sheets | 12 |
| 16th | Home Rank | 3rd |
| 3rd | Away Rank | 5th |
Celta Vigo's four-game winning streak ended with a 2-1 home defeat against Real Madrid last weekend.
Claudio Giraldez's troops will turn their attention to the UEFA Europa League, where they will hope to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since the 2016/17 season.
For the first leg of this tie, the hosts will have to do without Pablo Duran, who is recovering from a knee problem, and Franco Cervi, who has muscular discomfort.
Lyon were the joint-top scorers in the league phase.
While Celta have no suspended players, five members of the team are a booking away from missing the second leg away in France, including Oscar Mingueza, Kourouma Moriba, Ionut Radu, Javier Rueda, and Miguel Roman.
Lyon, on the other hand, are coming off a 1-1 draw with Paris FC and are without a win in their last four matches.
Unlike their hosts, Paulo Fonseca's men were the best side in the league phase and did not go through the playoff round.
Interestingly, Lyon were quarter-finalists in the UEFA Europa League last season but were knocked out by eventual finalists Manchester United.
Lyon's 63.3% average ball possession is the highest in the UEFA Europa League this season.
The visitors have Ernest Nuamah, Ruben Kluivert, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, and Pavel Sulc unavailable due to injury, while the availability of Alfonso Moreira is highly questionable.
Also, Tyler Morton and Clinton Mata will likely exercise caution in this game, as both players are one booking away from suspension.
Celta Vigo vs Lyon form guide & betting tips
| Celta Vigo | vs | Lyon |
|---|---|---|
| W-W-W-W-L | Form | W-L-L-L-D |
| 12 | Points | 4 |
| 11th | Form Table | 7th |
| 8 | Goals For | 7 |
| 7 | Goals Against | 7 |
Best bookie to bet on Celta Vigo vs Lyon – bet365
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Whispers Predicts: Celta Vigo 1-2 Lyon
At 2.10, Celta Vigo are priced as favourites by bet365, which is unsurprising considering they have four wins in their last five matches.
Despite their recent run of results, however, Lyon have been one of the most impressive sides in this competition.
Interestingly, four of Celta Vigo's last seven games ended 2-1, but all four wins went to the visiting team in those fixtures. A 2-1 win for Lyon is valued at 12.00.
We should also expect goals to flow, with eight of Celta's 10 games in this competition going above the 2.5-goal threshold. This can be backed at 1.97.
> BTTS - Yes at 1.80 | Likelihood: Probable
> Over 2.5 goals at 1.97 | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result - Lyon at 3.65 | Likelihood: Possible
> Lyon & BTTS - Yes at 6.80 | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct score: 1-2 at 12.00 | Likelihood: Outsider
Elite Club Friendlies 29/07/23
Celta Vigo
Lyon