Overview
After closing 2025 with two consecutive victories and a period considered quite effective, Lille started 2026 in an unbelievable way. They lost 5 consecutive matches in all competitions, from Ligue 1, French National Cup to Europa League.
The biggest shock in that series of gloomy days came last weekend at the Decathlon Arena. Matias Fernandez-Pardo's consolation goal in the 93rd minute could not overshadow the 1-4 defeat to Strasbourg.
Les Dogues' result crisis also has consequences in the continental arena. The defeat to Celta Vigo in round 7 of the Europa League group stage caused Lille to drop to 21st place in the standings. However, they still have the right to decide when they only need to win all 3 points in the last round to secure a spot in the knockout round.
The problem lies in the fact that confidence in Lille is falling sharply. From winning all 5 recent home matches of 2025, Bruno Genesio's team stepped into 2026 and lost 3 consecutive matches here. With a team in turmoil, the home field is no longer a lifeline but is in danger of becoming pressure.
Lille also suffered significant personnel losses. They missed Hamza Igamane's presence last week, when this striker scored 4 goals in the Europa League after 5 matches before suffering a serious knee injury and having to rest for the rest of the season.
In the opposite direction, Freiburg travels to the Decathlon Arena in a nearly opposite state. Aiming for the first major title in history with the ambition to win the Europa League, the Bundesliga team is maintaining stable form. They have only lost 1 of their last 8 matches in all competitions.
Since the draw with Augsburg on January 18, Julian Schuster's team has won two consecutive victories, both at the Europa-Park Stadion against Maccabi Tel Aviv and Koln. Freiburg is also aiming for their first record of three consecutive wins in official matches since the end of September.
In the standings, Freiburg is currently third, 3 points ahead of Porto (9th) before the final round. They and Ferencvaros are the only two teams out of 36 participating teams that have not lost in the group stage, and have only conceded 3 goals after 7 matches.
While the defense maintains its structure at the back, Freiburg still has an explosive point ahead. Veteran striker Vincenzo Grifo is maintaining impressive performance, as the 32-year-old player has equaled last season's 10 goals in all competitions.
For Lille, this is a match that is both vital in the Europa League and a test of bravery in the period when their form hit rock bottom. As for Freiburg, a good result in France will be an affirmation that they not only did not lose, but were also persistent enough to go far.
Personnel situation
Lille continues to have a headache with the personnel problem when they cannot have the service of Thomas Meunier. This full-back is expected to wait until the end of February to be able to return after a hamstring injury. This makes the right wing of Les Dogues lack an experienced option in the context of declining team performance.
In midfield, the situation is even more worrying. Nabil Bentaleb sprained his shoulder last week, and his absence caused Lille to lose another important option for the central area.
Freiburg is also not completely peaceful. Lukas Kubler - a key player about to reach the milestone of 250 matches for the club - is being treated for a hamstring injury, causing the away team to lack an experienced link on the right flank.
Expected lineup:
Ozer, Santos, Ngoy, Ribeiro, Perraud, Broholm, Mukau, Mandi, Correia, Haraldsson, Giroud.
Atubolu, Treu, Ginter, Rosenfelder, Gunter, Eggestein, Osterhage, Beste, Suzuki, Scherhant, Matanovic.
The match between Lille and Freiburg takes place at 3:00 AM on January 30 (Vietnam time).
