Lille's hectic start to the season continues as they welcome newly-promoted Angers to Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Les Dogues have already participated in four competitive games this season, thanks to their Champions League qualifying campaign, which has been progressing smoothly for Bruno Genesio's squad.
With a solid start to the season, having secured a place in the Champions League group stages and earning three points in the opening weekend of Ligue 1, Lille could not have hoped for a better beginning.
Last weekend, ten-man Reims posed minimal challenge to Lille, who clinched a 2-0 victory, and Slavia Prague met the same fate in the Champions League playoffs earlier in the week.
The triumph over Reims places Lille in fourth position, mirroring their finish from the previous season and securing their spot in Europe's top competition.
Despite a dramatic encounter in Istanbul just days before the Reims match, where Lille narrowly defeated Fenerbahce in the third qualifying round, Genesio's team handled the fatigue well. An own goal by Bafode Diakite nearly derailed their progress, leading to extra time, and Aissa Mandi's red card made the challenge even greater. However, Jonathan David's penalty in the 118th minute ensured Lille's advancement over Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce.
Angers were not one of the most favorite teams to advance after being demoted with a pitiful 18 points from 38 games in 2022–23; yet, they finished second behind Auxerre to guarantee immediate promotion.
The nightmares of the 22–23 campaign are still very much fresh in their memories, and Angers is the team most likely to be demoted this year after a disappointing 1-0 loss to Lens at home did not go as planned.
That season, Angers had one of their rare victories—against Lille—but their 18 point total was among the lowest in French football history. Since then, the teams have met six times, with two victories each and two draws.
In the victory against Reims last week, Genesio made a few personnel changes to his Lille team with the Champions League qualifiers in mind.
They are in a strong position after defeating Slavia 2-0 in midweek, but there is still work to be done. As a result, players like David, Thomas Meunier, and Hakon Arnar Haraldsson could be kept off the field once again to preserve their energy for the second leg.
Edon Zhegrova is still out after receiving a straight red card on the penultimate day of the previous season, but Benjamin Andre, who was suspended for the Reims victory, could be back in the game.
Angel Gomes was rendered unconscious during the victory last Saturday in scenes that raised concerns; despite his rapid recovery, concussion protocols will prevent him from playing.
With Jim Allevinah, Justin-Noel Kalumba, and Farid El Melali all still undergoing treatment, the anger will continue without them.
Haris Belkebla, a former Brest midfielder who only made one appearance in Saudi Arabia, signed last week, but he wasn't signed in time to play against Lens, and his health for the game is still in doubt.
