Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain to win 2-0
Best Odds: 7/1
Bookmaker: Betfair
Paris Saint-Germain will be looking to kick off their 2020-21 Ligue 1 campaign in style on Thursday evening when they take on Lens away from home at Stade Bollaert-Delelis. The match is scheduled to take off at 8pm UK time, and PSG will head into the encounter as firm favourites and will be expected to pick up all three points with ease. PSG are without doubt the best team in France, and, like in previous seasons, they will be expected to run away with the Ligue 1 title.
Lens
Lens won promotion from Ligue 2 at the end of last season with 53 points from 28 matches. It was not a regular season, as the campaign had to be called early due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Franck Haise’s side clinched promotion after finishing second in the standings.
Haise’s team have not made a good start to their 2020-21 Ligue 1 campaign, as they lost 2-1 to Nice away from home in their opening game. It is going to be extremely tough for Lens to win against PSG at home, and they will head into the match as underdogs.
Team news
Lens are likely to field the same team that lost against Nice in their opening game of the season, with former Chelsea winger Gael Kakuta set to start again.
Paris Saint-Germain
PSG won the Ligue 1 title last season with ease, and the French giants will be expected to do so again this campaign. Thomas Tuchel’s side have the best and strongest squad in France, and the title is theirs to lose. The French giants will also be buoyed by their success in the Champions League last season. True, the Parisian club did not win Europe’s premier club competition, but they reached the final and lost to a Bayern Munich team that rolled over Barcelona 8-2 in the knockout stages.
Tuchel’s side will start the defence of their league title late due to their involvement in the Champions League final. PSG will be expected to win against promoted side Lens with ease, even though they will have a number of players missing, with star defender Thiago Silva and striker Edinson Cavani having also left this summer following the end of their respective contracts.
Team news
PSG head coach Tuchel will have a much depleted squad, as he prepares for the defence of the Ligue 1 crown. Kylian Mbappe and Neymar will not feature, as both the forwards have tested positive for coronavirus, and so have Keylor Navas, Marquinhos, Leandro Paredes, Angel Di Maria and Mauro Icardi.
Key Factors to Consider
- PSG scored 75 goals in 27 league games last season.
PSG have won the league title for the past three years.
Lens scored 39 goals in 28 Ligue 2 matches last season.
Haise was initially appointed the caretaker-manager of Lens in February.
PSG conceded just 24 goals in 27 league games in 2019-20.
Conclusion
Lens will know that even a point against PSG will be a bonus for them, which is why they will be under no pressure to win on Thursday evening. It will be interesting to see if PSG will have any lingering disappointment from their defeat to Bayern. Even if they do, Tuchel’s side have enough in their ranks to get the better of their opponents.
Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain to win 2-0
Best Odds: 7/1
Bookmaker: Betfair
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