Metz vs Lille Predictions

• Metz have lost three league games in a row
• Lille have been beaten in four straight Ligue 1 matches
• Lille have won the last three head‑to‑heads, including a 6‑1 home success earlier this season

Metz’s misery may continue

Metz and Lille meet in Ligue 1 on Friday with both sides in desperate need of a reaction after a miserable start to 2026. Metz remain rooted to the foot of the table and now sit eight points from safety after defeats to Angers (1‑0), Strasbourg (2‑1) and Lyon (5‑2).

The arrival of Benoît Tavenot has yet to spark improvement, and with the worst defence in the division, Les Grenats are sliding dangerously close to an immediate return to Ligue 2.

Indiscipline has also crept into their play of late with defender Jean-Philippe Gbamin given his marching orders just nine minutes into last week’s loss to Angers.

New faces boost Les Dogues 

Lille are stuck in fifth place but are hardly faring any better. Despite a brief Europa League lift with a 1‑0 win over Freiburg, they immediately fell back into trouble with a 1‑0 defeat at Lyon. Les Dogues have now lost four consecutive league matches, scoring just once in that run, and their hopes of Champions League qualification are fading fast.

A long injury list—featuring Hamza Igamane, Ethan Mbappe, Nabil Bentaleb, Thomas Meunier and Osame Sahraoui — has stretched Bruno Genesio’s squad a little thin in places. Metz are also missing key players, including suspended defender Gbamin.

Lille, meanwhile, could hand minutes to new arrivals Gaetan Perrin and Noah Edjouma, while veteran striker Oliver Giroud is expected to lead the line. Despite both teams’ poor form, Lille’s superior squad depth and recent dominance in this fixture give them the edge so take them to win a high-scoring clash 3-1.