Champions League
2026-10-13 - Arsenal vs Lille
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Champions League Match Day 2
Tuesday 13th October 2026 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Arsenal
The slow start on Saturday was a little concerning, but Arsenal fought back to beat Leeds United 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium on the return from the extended international break. The result is a positive one, although fans and even the players must be wondering how much any of this means right now as they continue chasing a guilty Manchester City in the Division.
Mikel Arteta will be trying to keep the players focused on the only thing that should matter to Arsenal and that is winning football matches. Playing in the Champions League will be clearer and Arsenal have been a dominant team when it comes to the Group Stage in this new format and they have already begun the 2026/27 Champions League with a victory in Naples.
Arsenal had a long winning run to open this new season ended in a thumping loss to Brighton last month, but the win over Leeds United may spark another positive run. That victory on Saturday makes it 7 straight for Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in all competitions.
Both Piero Hincapie and Martin Zubimendi picked up injuries in the warm down on Saturday and are expected to miss out. Some changes are expected to the starting lineup with a busy month of action ahead of The Gunners, but a strong team will be selected.
Lille
Five years ago, Lille upset all of the odds to win the French title ahead of Paris Saint-Germain, but no one would have expected them to maintain those heights. They have remained a competitive team in the Division, and competitive for the Champions League places, and Lille have been able to return to the premier UEFA competition in the 2026/27 season.
It is actually the third time in five seasons Lille have competed in the Champions League, but the previous two appearances have ended in the Last 16 each time. Last season they were beaten in the Last 16 of the Europa League and Lille have opened this Champions League campaign with a 2-3 home defeat to Real Betis.
Lille have won 3 of the 4 games played in all competitions since losing to Real Betis and they are 2nd in the early Ligue 1 standings and a point behind Monaco. However, the exception in that positive run of form is a 2-1 defeat in the last away game played at Nice, while Lille have lost 4 of the last 5 away European games played.
Ethan Mbappe Lottin was sent off on Match Day 1 and is suspended, while Lille suffered a couple of injuries on the return to action this past weekend.
Head to Head
This is the first competitive fixture between these clubs.
Prediction
In each of the last four seasons, Lille have travelled across The Channel to face English Premier League opposition and they have been beaten each time.
However, none of the defeats have been in really heavy fashion and Lille will be hoping to show some of the competitive spirit when facing the current English Champions in North London.
A positive start to the season will have given Lille confidence, but this is a serious test for a team that have already suffered one defeat in the Champions League Group Stage. Finding the right balance to offer a threat, but with defensive resilience, is not going to be easy for Lille who were beaten 2-0 at Villa Park last season in the Europa League having previously lost matches at the same ground, Stamford Bridge and Anfield.
Lille will be facing an Arsenal team that have cruised through the early Champions League fixtures over the last couple of years and who have already won in Naples.
Home form has been more impressive and Arsenal's win over Leeds United makes it 7 in a row in front of the supporters.
Even with some changes expected, Arsenal's squad depth makes it very difficult to imagine they are not going to be good enough to beat Lille on Tuesday evening. Players like Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze are still trying to change Mikel Arteta's mind about their position as potential starters and they can be important in helping The Gunners earn the three points here.
Last season Arsenal won each of the first 3 home Champions League games by at least two goal margins and all behind clean sheets and it would not be a surprise if they do that on Match Day 2 of the League Phase in 2026/27.
Arsenal's record here coupled with Lille's away vulnerabilities in the Europa League last season suggests the home team will earn a relatively comfortable win on Tuesday.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Arsenal 2-0 Lille
