UCL Preview: LOSC Lille host Juventus; Monaco face Bologna

LOSC Lille hosts Juventus at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Tuesday night for Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League league phase.

Over the last two matchdays, Lille have been an impressive side securing wins over Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid. The home side will look to continue this outstanding run against another of Europe's well-known clubs: Juventus.

Despite Lille's current form in the Champions League, Bafodé Diakité said at his press conference that the Italian side will be a challenging opponent for them.

"We have a very strong team in front of us. We'll have the same role as at the beginning of the competition. We'll do what we know, play our game... It’s inspiring, and it means something to play against this type of team. It adds extra motivation, a desire to surpass ourselves."

Juventus are coming off a loss in their last Champions League contest against German side VfB Stuttgart, so Lille manager Bruno Génésio believes that his squad can replicate that result, especially with the confidence they're riding with the victories over the two LaLiga teams.

"We've already pulled off two big feats. We need to be able to do it again. We'll play our hearts out. We're at home, and our fans will be behind us."

"We have six points after playing the two biggest teams in the group. That gives us confidence. It doesn’t mean everything will go perfectly, but it’s a confidence boost. Beating teams like that shows we're capable of doing it again."

Juventus have won two of their three Champions League league phase matches, securing wins over PSV Eindhoven and RB Leipzig. The Old Lady are also coming off a victory this past weekend, defeating Udinese Calcio, and they head into this clash against LOSC on positive momentum.

The Italian side are also being led by manager Thiago Motta, who took over the job this past summer. Motta is very familiar with French football, having spent seven years with Paris Saint-Germain before hanging his boots in 2018. It will be intriguing to see Motta back in France, and it should make for an exciting matchup between these two sides.

AS Monaco vs. Bologna

Monaco are also having an impressive run in the Champions League, having won two of their three league phase matches, including a home win over FC Barcelona. 

While Les Rouge et Blanc are playing outstanding football in this competition, Adi Hütter knows that their opponent on Tuesday will bring its challenges.

"In my view, Bologna is a solid team. They had a strong season last year, finishing 4th in Serie A, and they’re led by a highly experienced coach with clear strategies—he even guided Fiorentina to the Conference League final last season.

"They’ve got some standout players like [Riccardo] Orsolini and [Remo] Freuler, their number 6 who plays a key role from the back. Freuler has experience from his time at Atalanta, which adds to their depth. Their recent win against Lecce will boost their confidence. They’re definitely a team to watch out for."

Monaco will aim for a bounce-back win against Bologna after a disappointing 1-0 loss against Angers SCO last Friday. The Italian side, on the other hand, will be looking for their first win in the Champions League this season, having drawn against FC Shakhtar Donetsk and losing to Liverpool and Aston Villa.

READ MORE:

>>Jonathan David's Impressive Scoring Form Elevates in 2024-25 season
>>Bafodé Diakité: "I'm in a hurry"