Lyon vs Auxerre Prediction 4 September 2026
🔊 Lyon spent all summer chasing Champions League football, only to fall at the final hurdle: they lost 1-2 to Fenerbahçe at home and dropped into the Europa League. In the league it has been calmer - fourth place and four points from two matches. Auxerre have no points at all and sit bottom. The two sides meet in Matchday 3 on 4 September at the Groupama Stadium.
Head-to-Head
📊 Last season produced two contrasting evenings: a goalless draw in Auxerre in November, then Lyon winning 3-2 in April. The results differed, but the margins did not - the away side stayed within a goal on both occasions. Auxerre have not been heavily beaten in this fixture: they have not lost by more than two goals in six consecutive Ligue 1 head-to-head meetings.
Head-to-head statistics Lyon - Auxerre
Olympique Lyon Team Overview
Lyon finished fourth last season with 60 points, but the ending was a bitter one: in the final round they conceded four goals to Lens and missed out on a direct Champions League place. Paulo Fonseca is going into his second season at the club, and once again had to go through qualifying in the summer. He got past Sparta, despite losing the first leg in Prague, but not Fenerbahçe. Lyon begin their Europa League league phase on 16 September away at Anderlecht.
In the league they have been perfect so far: a win in Toulouse and a point against Le Havre. At Décines, though, they had to come from behind - the visitors were leading until the 87th minute, when Loïs Openda equalised. The new signing's first goal, arriving from Turin, only reinforced a familiar pattern: Lyon have scored in 24 of their last 26 home matches.
Match Results: Olympique Lyon
Auxerre Team Overview
Auxerre are in their third consecutive season in Ligue 1, but the last one was a gruelling experience: they finished 15th and secured survival with one round to spare. In the summer the club changed manager - Christophe Pélissier, who had brought the Burgundy side up from Ligue 2, departed, and Will Still took charge. Still is no stranger to French football, having worked at Reims and Lens, with Southampton his most recent post.
The start under Still has not gone well. Away at Lens, Auxerre were reduced to ten men as early as the 35th minute and conceded five goals, then in the following round they lost three points to Angers. No side has made a worse start to the season in the league. Auxerre have scored in every round, though - even against Lens, down to ten men, they replied twice.
Match Results: Auxerre
Latest news
Olympique Lyon
❌ Lyon sold more than they bought over the summer. Afonso Moreira was the first to leave, in June - Bayer paid €30 million for him, and the club used that money to bring in seven new players: Openda and Zachary Atekami joined on loan, Mads Bidstrup arrived from Salzburg for €10.5 million, and Felix Bacher came from Estoril. On the final day of the window, Malick Fofana also departed: the Belgian scored that goal in the second leg against Fenerbahçe, and on Tuesday he signed a five-year contract with Sunderland for €35 million plus bonuses. The reason is straightforward - without Champions League football, the club lost out on premium income, and their wage bill is under the scrutiny of the league's financial authority. Nicolas Tagliafico's move to Italy fell through at the last moment, so Fonseca does have options at left back. Durvanville, Kluivert, Ouedraogo, De Carvalho and Imbert are not in the squad; there are no suspended players.
Auxerre
❓ The rebuild at the Burgundy club goes beyond just the change in management. Over the summer, captain Elisha Owusu, goalkeeper Donovan Léon and Lassina Sinayoko, who moved to Paris, all departed. In return, Still brought in Arthur Piedfort from Westerlo, goalkeeper Mamadou Diop from Grenoble and Danny Namaso from Porto on a purchase option, while Romain Faivre stayed for another season on loan from Bournemouth. Chryst Makoasso returns for the trip to Lyon, having served a one-match ban for his red card. Marvin Senaya, Diousse and Oko are unavailable, while Francisco Sierralta is a doubt.
Predicted Lineups
📋 Predicted starting XI for Lyon: Greif - Atiкаме, Bacher, Niakhaté, Abner - Bidstrup, Morton - Nuamah, Tolisso, Schulz - Openda.
📋 Predicted starting XI for Auxerre: Diop - Si, Makoasso, Diomandé, Akpa - Ahамada, Piedfort, Danois - Faivre, Namaso, Labeau-Lascary.
⚽️ Goals Prediction
The case for a low-scoring game is built around Lyon: they have scored more than two goals in only 2 of their last 17 Ligue 1 matches. Six matches in a row have produced fewer than four goals combined. The eight Auxerre have conceded in two rounds is the only argument against, but both Lens and Angers took early leads and finished off their opponents in open play. The bet is Total Goals - Under 3.5 at 1.44*.
🚩 Corners Prediction
Corners are one area where Auxerre hold their own. Over their last ten official matches, Lyon average 7.2 corners per game, while the visitors average exactly five, and both teams' opponents come in around that same figure of five. The combined expected total for this fixture is over ten. The ball will be with the hosts, but Auxerre will have to respond on the flanks. The bet is Total Corners - Over 10.5.
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
The referee in Lyon will be Ruddy Buquet - the same official who took charge of the previous meeting between these two sides. There should be plenty for him to deal with: Lyon average 3.4 cards per match and Auxerre 3.8. The Burgundy side themselves pick up 1.6 bookings per game, while Lyon's opponents average 2.5, and the combined figure for this fixture works out at over three and a half. The bet is Total Yellow Cards - Over 3.5.
*Odds are indicative and may vary across different bookmakers.
⭐️ Editorial Prediction
A Lyon goal seems a certainty: away from home, Auxerre have conceded in 17 of their last 19 Ligue 1 matches. Lyon's attack lost Moreira and Fofana over the summer, but against a defence like this, what remains should be enough.
The question is whether there will be a second goal - from Auxerre's end. They have scored in seven consecutive Ligue 1 matches, a run that started under Pelissier. Lyon are doing their bit to keep that habit alive: they have conceded in the second half in 6 of their last 7 league games. We don't expect Auxerre to end the evening without scoring. The bet is Both Teams to Score - Yes. Predicted score: 2-1.
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Betting Tips: Olympique Lyon - Auxerre
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