Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 1/2
Bookmaker: Betfair
Two clubs that have had disappointing starts to the Ligue 1 season will face off at the Groupama Stadium on Sunday night, as Lyon take on Paris Saint-Germain to end the round of the campaign.
Lyon is currently in the relegation zone at this early stage of the season, while PSG secured their first win of the season last weekend.
Olympique Lyon
Lyon had a rather forgettable opening month to the season, setting several unwanted club records. They started the league campaign with two defeats, something that hadn’t happened since the 1960s, losing to Strasbourg and being thrashed at home by Montpellier with a 4-1 scoreline. After that humiliating defeat, manager Laurent Blanc made headlines by suggesting that Lyon should sack him when asked what needed to be done to improve the club’s fortunes.
Despite Blanc’s controversial statement, he remained in charge, and Lyon managed to earn a point in an uneventful 0-0 draw against Nice last weekend. Nevertheless, they still have their lowest points tally at this stage of a season in 31 years. If Lyon fail to secure a win or even a draw in their upcoming match against PSG, they will be winless in their first four matches of a season for the first time since 2000.
Facing PSG, the reigning French champions and a formidable opponent, does not bode well from their point of view. Lyon has not won against PSG in their last five home encounters, only managing to secure one point. With the international break approaching and time for the club to explore alternatives, Blanc’s future as manager may be under threat if his men lose this weekend.
Blanc had a slow start when he took over from Peter Bosz midway through last season, and Lyon failed to qualify for Europe despite a late rally, making his continued presence as manager for this season somewhat surprising.
Team News
Lyon will continue to be without their talisman and top scorer, Alexandre Lacazette, who received a straight red card two weeks ago. Youngster Bradley Barcola has also left the club to join PSG, but it’s unlikely he’ll make his debut against his former team.
Goalkeeper Anthony Lopes is unavailable, and Dejan Lovren is still recovering from a muscle injury. Consequently, 36-year-old Remy Riou is expected to deputize between the posts once again, while Lovren’s Croatia teammate Duje Caleta-Car should start in the heart of defence in his absence.
Paris Saint-Germain
PSG will aim to increase the pressure on their former manager by securing another three points in this match. The start of Luis Enrique’s tenure at PSG was sluggish, with the team drawing their first two fixtures, against Lorient at home and Toulouse away.
However, Kylian Mbappe’s influence proved decisive in the previous match, as his two goals helped PSG secure a 3-1 victory over Lens at the Parc des Princes last weekend. Lens has been struggling after losing many key players from the squad that finished second behind PSG last season.
Lyon are currently in a similar form to Lens, so PSG will likely be expected to secure another victory, despite the significance of the match between two of France’s most successful clubs. Mbappe seems to be in unstoppable form in Ligue 1, having scored three goals in just 130 minutes of action since his reintegration into the squad.
Team News
PSG is dealing with several injury issues, with new signings Kang-in Lee and Goncalo Ramos both missing the win over Lens last week. Defensive trio Presnel Kimpembe, Nuno Mendes, and Nordi Mukiele have also been unavailable since the start of the season and remain out. Additionally, Juan Bernat is sidelined with a muscle injury.
In response to these injuries, manager Luis Enrique used Marco Asensio in a central role against Lens, and Asensio rewarded his trust with a goal. As a result, Asensio may start in the same role in this match, flanked by Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele.
Conclusion
Despite the danger of losing his job, there is very little Blanc will be able to do to inspire his team to earn a favourable result against PSG. The defending champions also have some lost ground to make up for, and for Lyon, the task of stopping them might prove too hard at this point.
Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 1/2
Bookmaker: Betfair
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