Lyon lost in the UEFA Champions League play-off round but can kick off their Europa League campaign with a win over Anderlecht.
Les Gones are unbeaten in four Ligue 1 matches and, while their Belgian hosts overcame Hammarby, PAOK and Kairat Almaty to reach this stage, they have already lost twice in this season's Pro League.
Anderlecht v Lyon Tips Summary
Best Bet - Lyon to win @ 27/20
Alternative Bet - Lois Openda anytime goalscorer @ 7/5
Bet Builder - Lois Openda over 3+ shots, Corentin Tolisso 1+ shots on target & Marco Kana to be booked @ 23/4
Anderlecht v Lyon Prediction
Best Bet: Lyon to win @ 27/20
Lyon finished fourth in Ligue 1 last season, but should have been higher. They lost their last two games, meaning they had to go through two rounds of UEFA Champions League qualifying.
After beating Sparta Prague 4-2 over two legs, they drew 1-1 in Istanbul, but conceded twice in the first half at home to Fenerbahce and couldn't complete a comeback.
Les Gones had 17 shots and won the possession count, but that defeat meant they had to sell their goalscorer that night, Malick Fofana, on transfer deadline day.
However, this is hardly something new for a squad used to losing their best players every summer and Paulo Fonseca and his troops have regrouped.
They remain unbeaten in Ligue 1 after four games, drawing 0-0 at Paris FC on Saturday.
Lyon reached the quarter-finals two seasons ago and have a squad that is strong enough to have a real go at the Europa League.
Opening opponents Anderlecht battled through the qualifying rounds and are unbeaten in their last three games.
However, they have already lost twice in the Pro League, including a 3-0 defeat at Brussels rivals Union SG, suggesting they struggle to step up against the better teams.
Alternative Bet: Lois Openda anytime goalscorer @ 7/5
While Lyon sold Fofana, Afonso Moreira and others, they also recruited well, including a loan deal for Lois Openda from Juventus.
Openda was unlucky in Italy. He joined Juve during a chaotic summer of 2025 and they never really knew how to use him, but Fonseca has looked at his past numbers and placed his faith in the 26-year-old as his central striker.
Born in Liege, he has had a nomadic career, taking in spells in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Italy, but he scored 18 or more league goals for three separate clubs between 2021/22 and 2024/24.
Openda already has a goal and an assist in Ligue 1, and having netted away at Fenerbahce in the UEFA Champions League, he is fancied to score in the Europa League on Wednesday.
Anderlecht v Lyon Bet Builder Tip
Lois Openda 3+ shots
Corentin Tolisso 1+ shots on target
Marco Kana to be booked
Pays 23/4
Like all good strikers, Openda knows that the more you shoot, the more you score and has had 13 efforts in three Ligue 1 starts.
Expected to lead the line on Wednesday, this Bet Builder backs him to have over 2.5 shots alongside a shot on target for Lyon captain Corentin Tolisso.
Tolisso is playing further forward this season and is averaging 0.92 shots on target per 90 minutes in Ligue 1 and may also be on penalty duty, despite missing against Sparta Prague.
Finally, look out for a yellow card for Anderlecht midfielder Marco Kana.
The 23-year-old was booked three games in a row before the weekend's 1-0 win at Mechelen and may attract the ire of Spanish referee Ricardo de Burgos, who had handed out two reds and 20 yellows in six games this season.
Learn more about how Bet Builders work in our Bet Builder guide.
Key Match Stats
Anderlecht beat Hammerby, PAOK and Kairat Almaty to reach the league phase of the Europa League
Lyon were eliminated in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers
Les Gones are unbeaten in four Ligue 1 fixtures this season
Lois Openda has scored both domestically and in Europe since joining Lyon on loan
Corentin Tolisso averages 0.92 shots per 90 minutes in Ligue 1
Anderlecht's Marco Kana has already been booked three times this season
Read more football betting tips and predictions on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
