This Lyon vs Basel preview focuses on Olympique Lyonnais welcoming FC Basel to the Groupama Stadium for a crucial UEFA Europa League group phase encounter. This match sees the French hosts looking to maintain their perfect start to the European campaign against a Swiss side that has shown flashes of quality but remains inconsistent on their travels.
Lyon has been a model of defensive solidity in this competition, winning their first two matches without conceding a single goal. However, a recent dip in domestic form, including a shock 2-1 home loss to Toulouse, has raised questions. This Lyon vs Basel match preview is compelling as it pits Lyon’s flawless European defence against a Basel side that is on a three-match winning streak, scoring eight goals and conceding none in that span.
Lyon Vs Basel Match Preview/Betting Preview
This Europa League clash will be a test of Lyon’s resolve. Under Paulo Fonseca, the French side has been built on a rock-solid organisational structure, leading them to a perfect six points from two games, including a 2-0 home win over Red Bull Salzburg. They sit comfortably in 5th place in the league phase standings and know a third straight win would be a giant step toward the knockout rounds. You can find excellent odds for the home side on BC.GAME.
FC Basel, the reigning Swiss Super League champions, recovered from an opening-day 2-1 loss to Freiburg by dispatching Stuttgart 2-0. They have since found rampant form, winning their last three games in all competitions to nil. Despite this, their away form in Europe is a major concern, having lost their last two Europa League group-stage away games without scoring.7 This match, their first-ever meeting with Lyon, will show if they can break that poor run.
Team Recent Form
Lyon: L-W-L-W-W
Basel: W-W-W-L-W
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Key Stats
- Perfect Defence: Lyon is one of only three teams yet to concede a goal in the Europa League league phase this season.
- First Time Foes: This will be the first-ever competitive match between Olympique Lyonnais and FC Basel.
- Swiss Struggles: Lyon has a perfect record against Swiss opposition, winning both of their previous encounters (vs. Grasshoppers in 2013) 1-0.
Correct Score Prediction
My prediction is a 2-0 victory for Lyon.
Despite Lyon’s minor domestic slump, their European form is built on a defensive foundation that should be too strong for Basel. The Swiss side may be in good form, but they have not faced an opponent of Lyon’s organisational quality recently. Basel has also struggled to create clear-cut chances in Europe and has a poor record scoring on the road in this competition. I expect Lyon to control the match, score a goal in each half, and maintain their perfect clean sheet record in the tournament. Backing a 2-0 home win on BC.GAME looks like a solid play.
Lyon Vs Basel H2H
- This is the first-ever head-to-head meeting between the two clubs.
- Lyon has played Swiss opposition twice before, beating Grasshoppers 1-0 both home and away in 2013 Champions League qualification.
- Basel has lost their last two Europa League group stage away matches without scoring a goal.
- Lyon has won their last two European games, both with a clean sheet.
Pre-game Odds
- Lyon to win: 1.61
- Draw: 4.48
- Basel to win: 5.33
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Team News Home
Lyon will be without two key players due to serious cruciate ligament injuries: midfielder Orel Mangala and forward Ernest Nuamah. Backup goalkeeper Remy Descamps is also sidelined with a wrist injury, while defender Abner Vinícius is a doubt with a fibula fracture. Martín Satriano and Ruben Kluivert, who both scored in the last UEL match, are fit and expected to feature.
Team News Away
Basel has a couple of fitness concerns. Defender Keigo Tsunemoto is dealing with a muscle strain, and Finn van Breemen is also a question mark. The good news is that captain and star player Xherdan Shaqiri is fit and will be the focal point of their attack, with veteran goalkeeper Marwin Hitz anchoring the team from the back.
Predicted Line-up
Lyon Predicted Line-up (4-2-3-1):
Greif; Kluivert, Mata, Niakhate, Tagliafico; De Carvalho, Morton; Karabec, Sulc, Fofana; Satriano
Basel Predicted Line-up (4-2-3-1):
Hitz; Vouilloz, Daniluc, Adjetey, Schmid; Koindredi, Leroy; Soticek, Shaqiri, Otele; Ajeti
Lyon Vs Basel Betting Tips
For this intriguing European fixture, here are our three expert betting tips. You can place all these wagers and more at BC.GAME.
- Tip 1 – Result: Lyon Win
- Tip 2 – Over/Under 2.5 goals: Under 2.5 goals
- Tip 3 – Both Teams to Score: No
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