AS Monaco and Lille OSC, two of Ligue 1’s five co-leaders, meet at the Stade Louis II on 25 October 2026 in a high-profile eighth-round fixture.

The match is listed for 14:00 GMT, although the preview also gives a start time of 20:00 GMT. Nasser Eddy, a consultant for NCI Sport and presenter of the European Champions League on radio Nostalgie, expects a closely fought game and has tipped a 2-2 draw at odds of 11.

Monaco began the season strongly, winning four of their opening five league matches, including victories over Paris Saint-Germain, Olympique de Marseille and RC Lens. Their momentum has slowed in the past two games, however, with a 2-2 draw against Toulouse followed by a 1-0 defeat at Lorient last Sunday.

Their European form has been considerably better. Monaco have won all four of their Conference League matches, including the preliminary round, and beat German side Fribourg 3-0 at home in the League Phase on Thursday.

Monaco have scored more than two goals in eight matches this season and have failed to score only once. Paris Brunner has six goals in seven appearances in all competitions. Monaco have also averaged fewer than four corners across their past four matches, while receiving fewer than one yellow card per game during that run.

Lille’s form has dipped since the international break, with the effects of losing players including Bouaddi and Fernandez-Pardo in the previous transfer window perhaps becoming apparent. Their only league victory in that period was a narrow 1-0 home win over Le Havre on 10 October. They then drew 1-1 with Brest at Stade Pierre-Mauroy last Saturday.

The Dogues have also suffered two heavy defeats in the Champions League. They lost 3-0 at Arsenal last week before being beaten 4-2 at home by Turkish club Galatasaray on Wednesday.

Lille have conceded eight goals and scored four in their past four matches. They have attempted at least 10 shots in each of their three Ligue 1 away games this season, while winning no more than seven corners in those matches. They have received at least one yellow card in six of their seven league fixtures, and at least two yellow cards have been shown to their opponents in each of their past three games.

Head-to-head record

The previous 35 meetings in all competitions have produced 14 Lille wins, 11 victories for Monaco and 10 draws. Lille have won the past three encounters, including both matches last season, and are unbeaten in the last four.

Neither side has scored more than two goals in any of the past seven meetings, underlining the evenly matched nature of the fixture.

Ansu Fati looking to continue revival

Ansu Fati is the player to watch after scoring against Fribourg on Thursday and CSKA Sofia the previous week in the Conference League. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder joined Monaco after a difficult period at FC Barcelona, where a series of injuries interrupted the progress expected of him.

The Spanish-Bissau-Guinean has continued to rebuild his career in the Principality and is showing that a player’s path need not be straightforward.

Monaco have lost once in 11 official matches this season but have won none of their past two Ligue 1 games. They have scored in 10 of those 11 matches, although they have managed fewer than two goals in three.

Lille have won once in their past four official matches and have lost only one of their three league away games this season.

The recommended bets are a draw at 3.44, a 2-2 scoreline at 11, Paris Brunner to score at any time at 2.8, both teams to receive at least two cards at 2, fewer than 7.5 corners at 2.98, and at least two yellow cards for each side at 2.00.

The odds may change.