Leaders Paris Saint-Germain’s home clash with Lyon on Sunday and a Saturday match-up between struggling Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux are among the highlights in Ligue 1 this weekend.
The top-flight action in France starts with Strasbourg hosting Metz on Friday night before there are two games on Saturday and seven spread out throughout a busy Sunday.
Friday’s 8pm game sees two of the bottom six go head-to-head when Strasbourg, who sit 15th, entertain a Metz side who are three places below and are still searching for their first win of the season.
Strasbourg Should See off Metz
Metz have drawn three of their first five games, including a memorable opening weekend 3-3 encounter with champions Lille, but they were disappointing when losing 2-0 at home to Troyes last time out. Strasbourg failed to build on their solitary win of the campaign so far – a 3-1 win over Brest before the international break – when they lost 3-1 at Lyon last weekend, but they are understandable favourites at 20/23 to come out on top on Friday.
Champions Yet to Get Going
On Saturday, champions Lille go to Lens at 4pm, hoping to kick-start their season. It’s been a difficult month for new manager Jocelyn Gourvennec, who has picked up just one win so far against Montpellier, and his side take on a Lens outfit who are unbeaten in their first five, a run that includes the dramatic 3-2 win at Bordeaux last time out when a very late Florian Sotoca penalty earned them all three points.
There have been three goals or more in three of Lens’ five games, and four of Lille’s five matches so far have also featured at least three goals, so backing over 2.5 goals at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis this weekend at 23/20 may well pay off.
Bottom Two Square Off
The bottom two then go up against each other at 8pm when Saint-Etienne, in 19th, host Bordeaux, who are propping the rest up with just two points on the board so far. Les Verts have lost their last two games, going down 3-1 at Marseille and 2-0 at Montpellier, but a return to their Stade Geoffroy-Guichard home, where they have held Lille and Lorient to 1-1 draws recently, may prove to be the tonic they need in their search for a win.
Saint-Etienne are 20/21 to win and, for more value, are available at 11/4 to prevail by a one-goal margin.
PSG to Make it Six From Six
As is often the case in France, league leaders PSG headline Sunday’s action when they entertain Lyon, who are seventh. Mauricio Pochettino’s side didn’t get the result they wanted in their Champions League opener on Wednesday when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Club Brugge, but they’ve made a perfect five-from-five winning start in Ligue 1 and are expected to see off Les Gones without too many problems.
FULL-TIME: Club Brugge 1-1 @PSG_English
The points are shared on Matchday 1⃣ of the @ChampionsLeague. #UCL | #CLUPSG pic.twitter.com/P3EVbjqQxP
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) September 15, 2021
Fearsome Front Three
Pochettino unleashed Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar in midweek without the desired effect, but if the trio are selected together from the start again, then they will surely combine to comfortably see off Lyon at the Parc des Princes, despite the fact they have won their last two games against Nantes and Strasbourg. A home win with both teams to score, considering Lyon have hit seven goals in their last three, appeals at 33/20.
*All odds correct at time of writing.