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Lille and Real Betis begin their Champions League campaigns on Tuesday at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, with both sides looking to build on strong European records in recent seasons.
The French hosts have become regulars in UEFA competition and return to Europe's top-tier club competition after reaching the knockout stages in each of their last two appearances, while the visitors from Seville are back in the competition for only the second time after a 21-year wait.
Lille arrive with home advantage and an unbeaten start under Davide Ancelotti, while Manuel Pellegrini's Betis will take confidence from their 1-0 victory over Real Madrid but face a difficult task in their first Champions League match since 2005/06.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Lille vs. Betis key stats
- Lille have found the net in their last nine matches in the Champions League main stage.
- Betis have scored in 14 straight competitive matches, a run stretching back to the previous campaign.
- There have been draws in three of Lille's last four competitive matches at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
- Betis have lost only one of their last 10 league phase matches in UEFA competition (W7 D2).
Lille vs. Betis preview: Closely fought opener on the cards
Lille vs Betis — Tale of the Tape
| Lille | vs | Betis |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd (Ligue 1) | Position | 4th (La Liga) |
| 7 | Points | 9 |
| 5 | Goals For | 5 |
| 2 | Goals Against | 5 |
| 2 | Clean Sheets | 3 |
| 10th | Home / Away Rank | 8th |
Lille secured their return to the Champions League following a third-place finish last term, which was their best Ligue 1 finish since winning the French title in 2020/21.
Les Dogues also showed their ability to handle continental football last season by progressing from the Europa League league phase before overcoming Crvena Zvezda in the knockout phase playoffs.
The French side, however, saw their Europa League campaign ended by eventual champions Aston Villa in the round of 16, but another season of European knockout football has added to their recent experience at this level.
Lille are also unbeaten this term, picking up seven points from their three matches to sit third in the current Ligue 1 table following a 2-0 opening-weekend victory over Angers and a 1-0 win at Toulouse on Thursday, bookending a 2-2 draw against French and European champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Betis, meanwhile, earned their place in Europe's premier club competition after finishing fifth in La Liga last season, ending a long wait for another Champions League appearance.
Pellegrini brings considerable Champions League experience to the Betis dugout and has previously managed four other clubs in the competition.
The Seville outfit reached the Europa League quarter-finals last season after finishing fourth in the league phase and eliminating Panathinaikos in the last 16.
Betis were eventually knocked out by Braga, losing 5-3 on aggregate, but their run through the latter stages underlined their ability to compete against established European opposition.
The visitors also have an immediate confidence boost to draw upon after beating former Pellegrini club Real Madrid 1-0 in their latest domestic outing.
Lille vs. Betis form guide & betting tips
| Lille | vs | Betis |
|---|---|---|
D
D
W
D
W
|
Form |
L
W
W
L
W
|
| 8 | Goals For | 5 |
| 5 | Goals Against | 6 |
N/A |
Champions League | N/A |
Whispers predicts: Lille 1-1 Betis
Lille to score first at 1.85 (17/20) looks an appealing option given their strong starts this season and the advantage of playing their opening Champions League fixture on home soil.
Considering Les Dogues' unbeaten home record in the Champions League group stage/league phase as well as the defensive solidity of both teams, combining a home win or draw and under 4.5 goals at 11/20 (1.55) stands out.
Both teams to score – yes at 1.70 (7/10) is also worth considering in a contest involving two sides with enough attacking quality to create chances.
The draw at 3.70 (27/10) provides the more tempting return, particularly with neither side looking clearly superior enough to make a straight win the preferred outcome.
> Lille win or draw & under 4.5 goals at 1.55 (11/20) | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS – yes at 1.70 (7/10) | Likelihood: Possible
> Lille to score first at 1.85 (17/20) | Likelihood: Possible
> Match result – Draw at 3.70 (27/10) | Likelihood: Strong value