Lille vs Brann

Lille will face a side from Norway for the very first time in European competition, with this their 153rd game in Europe (including qualifiers).

Brann are featuring in major European competition for the first time since the 2008-09 UEFA Cup, when they were eliminated in the first round by Deportivo de La Coruña on a penalty shootout after a 2-2 aggregate draw.

This is Lille’s first season in the UEFA Europa League since 2020-21, when they reached the last 32 before being eliminated by Ajax, losing 2-1 in both legs.

Brann won just one of their last 14 away matches in major European competition between 1977 and 2008, beating Club Brugge 2-1 in the UEFA Cup in October 2007 (D3 L10).

Lille forward Olivier Giroud has been involved in 19 goals in 25 UEFA Europa League appearances (15 goals, 4 assists), scoring or assisting a goal every 111 minutes in the competition. He was involved in 15 goals in Chelsea’s victorious 2018-19 campaign (11 goals, 4 assists), a tally bettered just once in a season since 2009-10.