Lille vs Monaco: Ligue 1 Prediction (24.08.2025)

On August 24, 2025, at 20:45 CEST, the second round of the French Ligue 1 will treat us to a top clash between Lille and Monaco. The “Dogs” will host the match at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but bookmakers see the visitors as slight favorites. Let’s examine the current form of both teams and provide our prediction for the game.

Lille

Lille finished last Ligue 1 season in fifth place, just one point short of the bronze medals. In six preseason friendlies, Bruno Genesio’s side secured three wins and showed confident play. Particularly notable was a 3–0 victory over Venezia, where Olivier Giroud – back in Europe after a year in MLS – reminded everyone of his class by scoring twice.

The forward also made an impact in the first official match – away against Brest, Giroud opened the scoring in the 11th minute, and by the middle of the first half Lille were already 2–0 ahead. However, the “Dogs” couldn’t hold on to the lead. The game turned out to be a spectacle – 3–3 – but the result was disappointing for the club.

Monaco

The Monégasques had a solid last season, finishing third in Ligue 1 and qualifying for the Champions League. The battle for bronze was intense: Adi Hütter’s team were only one point ahead of fifth place. A year ago, their season start was derailed by numerous injuries to key players, costing them crucial points. Now the situation is much better – key players are fit, and Paul Pogba, gradually recovering from injury, is expected to rejoin the squad soon. Monaco’s season opener was also more successful than their upcoming opponent’s: they comfortably defeated Le Havre 3–1 in the first round.

Head-to-head statistics

The last five head-to-head meetings highlight the high level of competition between these clubs. Lille have a slight edge with 2 wins to 1, while two matches ended in draws.

Prediction

For the Lille vs Monaco match, we predict a high-scoring encounter. Both teams start the season with defensive issues but notable attacking potential. Our pick: over 2.5 goals at odds of 1.71.