Lyon vs Havre Prediction 29 August 2026
🔊 On Wednesday, Lyon saw their Champions League hopes dashed after falling to Fenerbahçe at home and losing 2-3 on aggregate. As a consolation, the club will now enter the main stage of the Europa League. Paulo Fonseca's side have just three days to regroup and refocus on domestic action. Meanwhile, Le Havre have had time to rest, but they arrive as clear underdogs-having failed to win in 12 of their last 13 Ligue 1 outings.
Head-to-Head
📊 The two sides managed just one goal between them across their two meetings last season. In December, Lyon ground out a home win over Le Havre, and in March at the Océane there were no goals at all - despite Le Havre playing the final half-hour or so with ten men after Stéphane Zagadou received a straight red card. The extra man made no difference to Lyon. The season before, things were different in Lyon: the two teams combined for six goals, and neither side has produced such an open game since.
Head-to-head statistics Lyon - Havre
Olympique Lyon Team Overview
Lyon finished last season in fourth place with 60 points, but missed out on the bronze medal on the final matchday - losing heavily at home to Lens, even though a draw would have been enough. Third place would have meant a direct berth in the league phase, while fourth sent them into qualifying.
That route worked only partially: they got past Sparta at the second attempt but fell short against Fenerbahçe. The league campaign has started differently, with Lyon winning 2-0 away at Toulouse. At home, they have scored in 14 of their last 15 Ligue 1 matches.
Match Results: Olympique Lyon
Havre Team Overview
Le Havre returned to the top flight in 2023 after winning Ligue 2, ending a 14-year absence. Since then they have retained their place in the elite three times over, finishing 14th last season with 35 points.
The opening round did nothing to change that picture: at home, Le Havre failed to score against Monaco and took nothing from the game. Away from home the problem is different but just as persistent - they have conceded in 10 of their last 11 away Ligue 1 matches. That said, they have not been falling apart: in their last 10 Ligue 1 matches they have lost by no more than one goal.
Match Results: Havre
Latest news
Olympique Lyon
❌ This summer, the club once again reshuffled their attack. Endrick returned to Real Madrid after his loan spell, and his spot was filled by Lois Openda, who arrived from Juventus- the Belgian forward is no stranger to Ligue 1 after his stint with Lens. Mads Bidstrup has bolstered the midfield, while Julien Duranville has joined to strengthen the flanks. The club also secured PSG academy product Noam Camara on a permanent deal. Malik Fofana remains in the squad despite ongoing interest from Roma; it was Fofana who pulled one back on Wednesday. Fonseca’s injury list is short- only Halis Mera is sidelined from the starting XI, and both Camara and Duranville have been left out of the squad for the second leg. On the plus side, Pavel Schulz is back: the Czech midfielder posted an impressive 15 goals and 10 assists last season, missed the first meeting with the Turkish side due to injury, but came off the bench in the return fixture. There are no suspensions, but some rotation ahead of Saturday looks inevitable.
Havre
❗️ Twelve of the 18 managers in the division were replaced over the summer, and Didier Digard was among the four who kept their jobs. The club's summer signings were made with his style of play in mind: Amir Richardson and Junior Mwanga came in to strengthen the midfield, while Josh Maja was added up front - he came on as a substitute in the opening round. Rassoul Ndiaye has been named club captain for the season. The injury list, however, is heavier than their opponents': Stefan Zagadou ruptured his cruciate ligament back in the spring, and Mambimbi was also not fit for the first round. Digard has no suspended players.
Predicted Lineups
📋 Lyon predicted XI: Greiф - Maitland-Niles, Kluivert, Niakhaté, Tagliafico - Morton, Tessmann, Tolisso - Nuamah, Openda, Fofana.
📋 Le Havre predicted XI: Mpasi - Pembélé, Sasso, Sekou, Zouaoui - Mwanga, Ebonog - Richardson, Ndiaye, Doukouré - Samatta.
⚽️ Goals Prediction
Lyon open up at home after the break: they have conceded in the second half in 5 of their last 6 home Ligue 1 matches. Le Havre get forward even away from home - they have scored before half-time in four consecutive away matches. So the question is not whether they will threaten Lyon's goal, but when. Both patterns point to the second half. The bet is Le Havre to Score in the Second Half at 2.42*.
🚩 Corner Kick Prediction
There are few corners in this fixture: Lyon have had fewer than eight corners per game in six consecutive Ligue 1 head-to-head meetings, and at home in 7 of their last 8 matches. Their last ten official matches tell the same story: a line of 7.5 would represent 75 corners, yet Lyon have managed just 72. Le Havre do nothing to change that picture - their opponents over the same ten-match span have taken 52 corners, and Le Havre themselves are not a heavy corner-generating side either, with just 39 corners across those same ten games. The bet is Lyon Team Total Corners - Under 7.5.
🟨 Yellow Cards Prediction
The match will be refereed by François Letexier, one of France's strictest officials: last season he took charge of 18 matches and showed almost 80 yellow cards across them. He will have plenty of reasons to reach for his pocket here. Lyon have accumulated 38 yellow cards across their last ten official matches, and Le Havre have the same total over the same period. A line of 3.5 cards over that span would equate to 35, and both sides have already exceeded it. The roles are different, though: Lyon commit few fouls themselves and have picked up only 10 cards, while their opponents have received 28. Le Havre are the opposite - 22 of those bookings are their own. The bet is Total Yellow Cards - Over 3.5.
*Odds are indicative and may vary across different bookmakers.
📌 Editorial Prediction
Away from home, Le Havre tend to keep things tight: fewer than three goals were scored in 9 of their last 10 away Ligue 1 matches. There is no reason for Digard's side to change that pattern in Lyon. The hosts are equally conservative in front of goal: Lyon themselves have scored more than two goals in just 2 of their last 16 Ligue 1 matches.
Lyon are playing their fourth match in 12 days, and Wednesday took a lot out of them. In that context, a scrappy, low-tempo game suits Le Havre, and that is exactly what they will look for at Lyon. We are not expecting an open match. The bet is Total Goals - Under 2.5. Predicted score: 1-1.
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Betting Tips: Olympique Lyon - Havre
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in 23 of last 25 home games.in 14 of last 15 home games (Ligue 1).in 10 of last 11 games.in 10 of last 11 away games (Ligue 1).in 8 of last 9 games (Ligue 1).in last 11 Olympique Lyon games.in last 7 Olympique Lyon games (Ligue 1).in last 7 Havre away games (Ligue 1).in 14 of last 16 games (Ligue 1).in 6 of last 7 games.Comparison of Teams Stats
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