Liverpool vs. Lille: 10 key things to know ahead of Champions League clash

January 20, 2025
Sam Millne

Liverpool host Lille in the Champions League as they look to maintain their perfect record in the competition this season.

Liverpool vs. Lille

Champions League (7) | Anfield
January 21, 2025 | 8pm (GMT)

While there is slightly more riding on this game for Lille than Liverpool, the Reds will have their sights set on becoming the first team to win the Champions League‘s new league phase.

There is also the matter of momentum, with Arne Slot‘s side looking to get back into form after a run of one win in four prior to beating Brentford.

1. Champions League football in January

Yes, as you know because you’re reading this, Liverpool are playing European football in January!

With the reformatting of the Champions League has come two extra games to be played in a month that was previously reserved for domestic football.

It is a strange feeling to be playing group-stage football – well, league-phase football – after Christmas, but thankfully Liverpool have done the legwork to ensure their first two European games of 2025 are without too much pressure.

2. What Liverpool need

As mentioned, Liverpool can go into their final league phase matches, at home to Lille and away at PSV, with relatively little stress.

The Reds aren’t yet mathematically safe from having to play in the extra play-off round, but it would only take a point from either remaining game to seal their top-eight spot.

To win the league phase and become the first seed for the knockout stages, the Reds would need to win one and draw one as a minimum.

3. Team news

Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez are Liverpool’s two absentees for this game.

Slot provided an update on the players’ fitness, saying: “Maybe Jota a bit earlier than Joe, and both of them are expected to be back with us in weeks, not in months.”

Ibrahima Konate should be fit to play but has admitted that he is not 100 percent.

“I try to come back really 100 percent but I am not because I rushed my comeback with my knee, but I’ve done this for my team,” the Frenchman explained.

“I can die for this team then, it’s fine. My knee will come back really 100 percent very soon, it’s fine. I still have pain sometimes, but I play with painkillers and it’s enough for me to play.”

4. Starting XI prediction

Given the nature of Konate’s injury, Slot may want to keep him out of matches he doesn’t view as absolutely crucial.

For that reason, Jarell Quansah could start at Anfield alongside Virgil van Dijk. Darwin Nunez is in with a shout of playing over Luis Diaz through the middle, while Wataru Endo may come in for Ryan Gravenberch.

Despite suggesting those changes, it remains probable that we see a strong team from Slot as he aims to build on Saturday’s win in west London.

Predicted XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones, Mac Allister; Salah, Gakpo, Nunez

5. Lille’s unbeaten streak

While Liverpool supporters should expect a win from this game, the team can’t be complacent given the opposition they are coming up against.

Since losing 2-0 to Sporting CP on matchday one of the Champions League, Lille are unbeaten in 21 matches across all competitions.

Having set a club record for games without defeat, they currently sit third in Ligue 1 with 32 points from 18 games.

Under manager Bruno Genesio, the French outfit have scored in all but one of their last 16 outings in all competitions, but they have kept only two clean sheets in their last 10.

Among their players to watch out for are Canada’s record goalscorer, Jonathan David, ex-PSG man Thomas Meunier and former Newcastle attacking midfielder Remy Cabella.

6. We have met before

Liverpool have only met Lille for one previous tie, the Reds triumphing 3-1 on aggregate in the Europa League Round of 16.

In March 2010, Rafa Benitez’s Reds lost 1-0 away with the only goal coming from Eden Hazard, the first of seven he would score against Liverpool in his career.

However, thanks to a penalty from Steven Gerrard and a Fernando Torres brace, they won the second leg 3-0 to progress.

As well as Hazard, Yohan Cabaye and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were also in the Lille team.

7. Did you know?

Should Liverpool go 36 minutes into this game without Lille scoring, the Reds will set a new club record for most minutes without conceding a goal in Europe, beating the 572 set under Benitez in the 2005/06 edition of the competition.

A crowd of 44,913 or more will see Liverpool’s total attendance reach five million for European Cup/Champions League matches at Anfield.

In Liverpool’s 16 clashes against French teams at Anfield, the Reds have won 13, drawn one and lost two – they were beaten by Marseille in 2007 and Lyon in 2009.

8. Ibrahima Konate reveals Liverpool contract offer

Speaking ahead of the match, Konate confirmed that Liverpool have offered him a new contract but refused to add if he was close to signing, saying: “That’s another conversation!”

Reports in France over the last year claimed Liverpool had opened talks over a new contract, one of many Richard Hughes and Co. have to sort with 15 expiring between this summer and 2027.

The centre-back’s current deal expires in 2026. Should Konate receive a yellow card against Lille, he would miss the subsequent Champions League match against PSV due to suspension.