Auxerre vs. Lyon: Preview and betting tips

Friday’s Ligue 1 match between Auxerre and Lyon will be a clash of two teams with different ambitions. While the home side is fighting to stay among the French elite, the visitors would like to return to the European Cup.

Auxerre cannot be satisfied with their season so far. Only three league wins in 23 rounds have dropped the team to the penultimate place in the table, three points behind the relegation zone. They are winless through all competitions for five matches.

Lyon, on the other hand, finally found their feet at the start of February. It has extracted ten points from the last four rounds of Ligue 1 and jumped close to the cups in the table. From ninth place, they are only two points behind the Top 7 guaranteeing Europe.

Auxerre’s key figures

The home side is led by right winger Gaëtan Perrin. He has scored four times and assisted twice so far. The experienced Cape Verdean Nuno Da Costa, scorer of four goals and author of three assists, is on the attack.

Lyon’s key figures

Captain Alexandre Lacazette is firing sharply on the away side, with the French hitman scoring on 18 occasions and assisting five times. Nineteen-year-old talent Rayan Cherki has split the net four times and assisted four times.

Auxerre are paying the price for an unproductive offensive attack, hitting just 19 times, the second lowest number in the league. It has struck more than once in only two of its last five games, twice coming up completely empty on goal.

On the other hand, Lyon are really clicking up front, thanks to the productive Lacazette. With 35 shots, they are the second best scoring team outside the top six, having struck more than once in five of their last six games.

Considering the phase of Lacazette, the weak attack of the home team and the comfort in Lyon’s squad caused by good results, we can expect the favourite to win on the opponent’s ground.

Sources: Ligue 1, WhoScored