French Ligue 1 – Week 3 Preview

Clermont Foot are the only side still looking for their first point in Ligue 1 after 3 weeks of the new campaign. They face Toulouse in this jam-packed fixture list, with nothing other than a win required!

 

Friday, 1 September

Nantes 33/10 | Draw 28/10 | Marseille 8/10

Visitors Marseille will look to build on their solid 2-0 win over Brest last week when they take on Nantes who sit in 15th position after one draw and two defeats from their opening three matches. Nantes are among the struggling sides in Ligue one – with seven goals conceded so far (including 3 from their most recent outing). They tend to be more dangerous when playing at home and have scored first in both of their home fixtures. I think Marseille will be equal to the task, though, with a win on Friday guaranteed to move them to 1st place – even for a short while. Marseille wins here but Both Teams to Score at 7/10.

 

Saturday, 2 September

Brest 51/20 | Draw 26/10 | Rennes 1/1

Brest have had a decent start to the new season with two wins and one defeat so far. They host Rennes on Saturday with the visitors still looking for their second win of the season after practically dismantling newly promoted Metz by 5-1 in the season opener. In their recent outing, Rennes were unable to take advantage of Le Havre who were reduced to 10 men in the 62nd minute after the hosts had led for most part of the fist half. They will need to be at their best against Brest who will be eager to win and keep the pressure on the log leaders. Both sides will look to cancel each other out, but I’d go for the Draw here – 26/10.

Monaco 11/10 | Draw 11/4 | Lens 22/10

Log leaders Monaco was held to a thrilling 3-3 draw by Nantes in a classic Ligue 1 clash last Friday. They get ready to face a struggling Lens side on Saturday and will be determined to bounce back to winning ways in order to re-establish their lead at the top of the log. They are sitting on 10 goals scored from three matches and are tipped to easily cruise passed Lens on Saturday. Back Monaco for the Home win at 11/10.

 

Sunday, 3 September

Toulouse 9/10 | Draw 11/4 | Clermont Foot 28/10

Sunday’s action kicks off with an encounter between bottom-dwellers Clermont Foot and Toulouse who coming at the back of a disappointing 2-0 loss to Strasbourg in last week’s action. They will feel confident of a win here and maximum points will see them straight back into the top half of the table. For Clermont Foot, goals have been hard to come by while they have been among the weakest defences in the division. Toulouse for the win here – 9/10.

Le Havre 16/10 | Draw 23/10 | Lorient 18/10

Lorient destroyed Lille when the two sides met on Sunday – scoring two goals in either half to secure an emphatic 4-1 win at home. They will look to build on their first win of the season when they visit Le Havre on Sunday, with the hosts sitting in 14th position and still looking for their first win. Le Havre have conceded six goals as a result of their poor defending and lack of focus – an area I expect Lorient to expose on the day. Lorient to lead at Half-time at 47/20.

Metz 24/10 | Draw 5/2 | Reims 11/10

After picking up their second win of the season against Montpellier, Reims will visit Metz at the Stade Saint-Symphorien on Sunday as they look to make it back-to-back victories for the first time this campaign. Meanwhile, Metz also registered their first win of the season when they edged Clermont Foot by 1-0 last Sunday and moved to 12th spot with four points to their name. Though they are visitors, Reims will have the upper hand in this clash, and they are backed to win or draw on the Double chance – 2/7.

LOSC 15/20 | Draw 3/1 | Montpellier 33/10

Both Montpellier and Lille sit in the middle of the table and level on points ahead of their encounter at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Sunday. Both sides are looking for a second win of the campaign after being held to draws in their last outings. But Montpellier have scored seven times so far and should come here as slight favourites even though they are away from home. But their only win of the season came while playing Lyon away from home, and they could look to build from that stat here. I’d go for the Draw here, with Both Teams to Score at 6/10.

Nice 19/20 | Draw 26/10 | Strasbourg 28/10

Strasbourg have recorded two wins and a defeat from three matches this season ahead of their fiery encounter with Nice on Sunday. They are playing some attractive football and are posing serious threats to their opponents. They will surely come here aiming for a win with Nice sitting in 13th position with no wins to their name. They sit with three points following successive draws in the league, and Strasbourg will certainly look to add to their misery. Strasbourg to win at 28/10.

Lyon 42/10 | Draw 36/10 | PSG 11/20

PSG and Olympic Lyon meet at the Groupama Stadium on Sunday to renew their rivalry in the last fixture if the week in Ligue 1. The hosts are enduring a tough start to the new season and are yet to win a league game after losing twice and drawing once. They have conceded six goals while scoring just two and are clear underdogs ahead of their clash with PSG who seem to have found their feet with star man Kylian Mbappe netting a brace to hand them their first win in their last outing. PSG for the win at 11/20.

Written by Mlu Mdletshe (@Mluleki_TZ5)