Lille will face Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League playoff opening leg on Thursday at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. This match marks Lille’s second appearance in the knockout stage of the tournament in the last decade. They finished 18th during the League Phase but managed a critical victory over Freiburg, winning 1-0 on the final matchday.
Match Preview
Despite their recent struggles in Ligue 1, Lille concluded the previous Europa League phase on a high note. They have not won in their last six domestic matches, with the win against Freiburg being their only victory of 2026. However, they secured maximum points in three of their four home matches during the League Phase.
Thursday’s match will be Lille’s first return to the knockout phase since their elimination by Ajax in 2021, where they lost 4-2 on aggregate. Historically, they have fared well at home in knockout matches, remaining unbeaten in three of the last four. Their most recent home victory in this competition came against Liverpool in the 2010 round of 16.
Red Star Belgrade’s Form
Red Star began the League Phase slowly but gained momentum towards the end of 2025. After only securing one point in their first two matches, they now come into the knockout phase with a five-match unbeaten streak in Europe. Under coach Dejan Stankovic, the team has not lost in six consecutive outings, with their only defeat this year occurring in a friendly against Red Bull Salzburg.
In February, Red Star has been particularly dominant, winning all four of their competitive matches by a combined score of 15-2. They achieved narrow victories in their last two Europa League away games, winning 1-0 in each. Historically, Red Star has struggled to secure away wins in France but defeated Lille 1-0 in their previous encounter.
Team News
Lille will likely miss several key players for this matchup. Noah Edjouma and Thomas Meunier are sidelined due to hamstring injuries, while Osame Sahraoui has a groin issue. Marc-Aurele Caillard is dealing with an elbow problem, and Ethan Mbappe Lottin is doubtful with a leg concern. Hamza Igamane and Ousmane Toure are out with cruciate ligament injuries.
On the other hand, Red Star made changes to their starting lineup, with Vasilije Kostov, Nikola Stankovic, and Aleksandar Katai coming into the team. Bruno Duarte’s late goal against Spain secured a point for his team.
Possible Starting Lineups
| Lille | Red Star Belgrade |
|---|---|
| Ozer | Matheus |
| Santos | Seol |
| Mandi | Rodrigao |
| Ngoy | Veljkovic |
| Verdonk | Tiknizyan |
| Mukau | Lucic |
| Andre | Elsnik |
| Bouaddi | Krunic |
| Correia | Radonjic |
| Giroud | Katai |
| Fernandez-Pardo | Arnautovic |
Predictions
As Lille prepares to host Red Star Belgrade, both teams come in with contrasting recent form. While Lille possesses home advantage, their current lack of confidence might grant Red Star the opportunity to earn a positive result. Predicting a closely contested match, a 1-1 draw appears likely.
