Get set up for Ligue 1 betting action this weekend with these free betting previews, complete with predictions and picks. Another weekend of soccer is before us in France’s topflight league. In this column, we look at a couple of the best bets available for soccer bettors to sink their teeth into.
Friday, August 27, 2021, 3:00 PM EDT at Venue Stade de la Beaujoire
Match day 4 in France’s Ligue 1 kicks off on Friday with a clash between Nantes and Olympique Lyonnais. The hosts will be looking to bounce back from a 1-0 setback to Rennes in their last lap around the league while Olympique Lyonnais continues its search for the first win this season. According to the Ligue 1 odds, Lyon may well finally crack the win column as they enter this fixture as the distinct road faves.
The hosts are on four points through three rounds of topflight domestic action after going 1-1-1. In three games, they’ve scored 3 goals and conceded 2 goals and they are currently sitting in ninth place. Last weekend marked the first time Nantes were rendered pointless. Nantes opened the season with a 1-1 draw to Monaco on the and then beat Metz 2-0 at home.
Lyon is struggling something awful through the first three laps of Ligue 1 and are still searching for their first win of the season. To date, Lyon sports a 0-2-1 mark after opening with a 1-1 draw to Brest at home. They lost 3-0 to Angers on the road on match day 2 and then settled on 3-3 draw with Clemont at home. Through three rounds, therefore, Lyon has merely 2 points to show for its efforts, which puts them in 16th place in the table.
Past trends tip this matchup in favour of Lyon, but with their recent struggles on form the value may well be with the hosts. Lyon have no clean sheets through three matches and have conceded a whopping six goals in their last two games, which suggests defence is a major problem. As such, Nantes as home underdogs to come through with the win is looking like a tempting bet. Another angle to consider is to back a high-scoring game between two sides that are looking a bit unpredictable and shaky on defence.
Soccer Pick: Nantes +358 with YouWager (visit our YouWager Review)
Soccer Pick: Over 2.5 (-139) with GTbets (visit our GTbets Review)
Saturday, August 28, 2021, 3:00 PM EDT at Venue Orange Vélodrome
Last weekend’s clash between Nice and Marseille descended in complete and utter chaos that saw fans invade the pitch and clash with players. It was abandoned entirely as a result and Marseille players refused to return to the pitch to complete the game. Obviously, the game made headlines in France and around the world and cast a poor light on French soccer in general.
Nice was up on Marseille 1-0 in the 75th minute when things went awry. As it currently stands, the game is listed as suspended and neither team has received points for the game. So, Marseille sport four points after two matches after beating Montpellier 3-2 on the road and settling a 2-2 draw with Bordeaux at home. Marseille is ranked eighth in the table and have scored five goals and conceded 4 goals in two fixtures.
St. Etienne sit pretty in 11th place with a 0-3-0 mark in three laps of Ligue 1 action. They’re undefeated after settling on three consecutive draws, but they’re keen to clinch their first win of the season. St. Etienne drew 1-1 with Lorient, 2-2 with Lens and 1-1 with Lille. St. Etienne may well be confident after forcing a share in the spoils against three pretty decent sides. With Marseille slightly rattled after last week’s debacle, there’s a chance they could take their eye off the ball.
According to top sportsbooks, the match is fixed with the hosts on the soccer odds board. Marseille are favoured to bounce back in fine style, but St. Etienne might just throw a spanner in the works. As such, there is value in betting on St. Etienne to win or draw this fixture. Having said that, Marseille struggled to create chances against Nice, and they’ve conceded goals two or more goals in their other two fixtures. More to the point, they fritted away a 2-0 lead against Bordeaux. If this trend continues, betting the totals might be the best bet for soccer picks.
Soccer Pick: ST Etienne double chance win or draw Over 2.5 -111 with YouWager
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.