UEL Preview: Lille, Lyon look to secure knockout places
Ahead of the penultimate round of the Europa League, Ligue 1 McDonald's runs the rule over the three sides who will be in action tomorrow -- albeit with varying stakes.
Young Boys vs. Olympique Lyonnais, 1845 CET
While Lyon will be deprived of their two newest arrivals -- Endrick and Noah Nartey -- as well as defender Moussa Niakhaté, who is yet to return from the Africa Cup of Nations, there's little to suggest Paulo Fonseca won't play his strongest possible eleven here, as Les Gones can all but secure a place in the Round of 16 with a win at their near-neighbors. That said, the manager will be wary of a team who have beaten Lille in this competition and who themselves would close to progressing with a win.
Indeed, even if they've lost their last three matches domestically, the Bern side remain a dangerous opponent if their other results in this competition are to be used as a yardstick. Speaking pre-match, Fonseca brushed off any thought that this will be an easy match, saying, "This is a team that has played very well, that won in Lille which is not easy and that played well against Aston Villa. This team has nine points and tomorrow's game can be decisive... they know it’s an important game for them.”
📹 Last session before heading off to Switzerland
pic.twitter.com/JDfmPGCYQO— Olympique Lyonnais 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@OL_English) January 21, 2026
Celta Vigo vs. LOSC, 2100 CET
Lille head to the northwest of Spain with their destiny in their own hands in terms of progressing in this competition, but with a tall order against a side who are unbeaten in five domestically and who are on the same number of points as Les Dogues. After the disappointment of defeat Friday against Paris Saint-Germain, Lille will be fresh for this match, and even with some key absences -- Ethan Mbappé, Benjamin André and Ayyoub Boudaddi -- Bruno Génésio will be eager to see his side progress and will name a strong eleven, with Olivier Giroud likely to lead the line.
Speaking to UEFA ahead of the match, the veteran emphasized that for him, joining Lille to play in Europe was key in his choice of club upon returning to France. "I missed playing those types of matches. Experiencing those feelings with that atmosphere of a European stadium in the major competitions, the feeling of adrenaline and my competitive spirit."
𝑫𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑽𝒊𝒈𝒐 ✈️🇪🇸#UEL #CeltaLOSC pic.twitter.com/lfzMvOTUWN
— LOSC (@losclive) January 21, 2026
OGC Nice vs. Go Ahead Eagles, 2100 CET
After a decent pair of results in the Coupe de France against second-tier Saint-Étienne and RC Strasbourg, reality struck badly for Les Aiglons on Tuesday. Humbled 5-1 away to Toulouse, the team continues to look for consistency even with the arrival of Claude Puel on the bench. Against Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles, with the team already eliminated from the competition, Puel is likely to field a second-choice side with an eye on Sunday's trip to face FC Nantes in Ligue 1 McDonald's.
