Lille aims to break into the top 8

Not only in the UEFA Champions League, but also in the Europa League, the last matchday of the 2025 calendar year is coming up this week. However, few final decisions will be made, as all teams still have two more matches to play in the new year. In many close matches, the aim is therefore to put themselves in a good position. The same applies to the clash between Young Boys and Lille, although my prediction is relatively clear in favor of an away win for the visitors from France.

Les Dogues are currently in very good form and have recently won four competitive matches in a row. On Friday evening, for example, they beat Champions League participants Olympique Marseille 1-0 in Ligue 1. Coach Bruno Genesio’s team has now moved up to fourth place in the French league and also has the third-best offense in the league behind PSG and OM!

LOSC can also be satisfied with their results on the international stage. In the Europa League group stage, the red, navy blue and white team recorded three wins in five games. Currently eleventh in the table, they are just one point away from their target of finishing in the top eight.

Given their good form and the fact that they have kept three clean sheets in a row, including a strong 4-0 home win against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League, I am convinced that the visitors will come away with three points between Young Boys and Lille.

While OSC Lille are finally finding their feet after some initial difficulties, Young Boys Bern’s season continues to be a rollercoaster ride, with more downs than ups recently. Those in charge had certainly hoped for a much more positive effect after signing Gerardo Seoane. However, BSC have only won two of their seven competitive games under the former Bundesliga coach. The Yellow and Blacks have gone three games without a win (0-1-2). Both Europa League games with Seone on the bench were lost – 1-2 at Aston Villa and 0-4 at PAOK Saloniki.

This means that the Swiss have dropped out of the top 24 in the standings, which would have qualified them for the playoffs. With two top-eight contenders, Lyon and VfB Stuttgart, waiting in the new year, a win against LOSC on Thursday evening is virtually a must. The problem, however, is that – in addition to their sobering form – YB have conceded the second-most defeats and the second-most goals of any club in the three UEFA competitions since the start of last year.

In 2025/26, they have already conceded twelve goals after five games, which even prompts me to check the betting odds for HT2/FT2 before Young Boys’ clash with Lille.

Young Boys – Lille Head-to-head record

The two teams have never faced each other in a competitive match. For Lille, it is only their third match against a Swiss opponent. The two matches against FC Basel (2-0, 0-0) in the 2004/05 UEFA Cup season are therefore not particularly relevant.

What is more interesting is that Young Boys have not won against a French team in their European Cup history since 1959. YB have gone nine consecutive games without a win against Ligue 1 clubs (0-3-6). According to the Young Boys vs. Lille betting odds, the bookmakers expect this streak to continue on Thursday in front of a home crowd on the artificial turf at Stade Wankdorf.

Young Boys – Lille Tip

Bruno Genesio, coach of OSC Lille, is an absolute Europa League expert! The Frenchman has won 60% of his games as a coach in this competition (21/35). Behind Unai Emery and Andre Vilas-Boas, Genesio has the highest win rate of any coach who has been on the sidelines for at least 30 EL games.

In 2025/26, his Dogues also have a 60% win rate. The eleventh-placed team has picked up nine points from five matches, three more than their upcoming opponents from the Swiss capital, who are ranked 26th.

In my opinion, however, it is primarily recent impressions that tip the scales in favor of the visitors. LOSC has celebrated four consecutive victories across all competitions and has been very stable defensively. YB under Seoane, meanwhile, has been inconsistent, conceding many goals and going three games without a win.