Predictions for the 19th round of Ligue 1, January 23-25
Auxerre vs PSG
The 19th round of the French football championship kicks off with a match between Auxerre and Toulouse. These teams are at opposite ends of the league table and are pursuing completely different goals in the tournament. Currently, the "lake dwellers" are on a streak of four consecutive losses, which has worsened an already difficult situation for the team. The Parisians have four consecutive victories in Ligue 1 and an unexpected loss in the Champions League to Sporting (2:1). For PSG, Auxerre is a very convenient opponent: in the last 10 years, the teams have played each other six times, resulting in five wins for the capital club and one draw. Considering the class difference between the opponents, we are betting on a handicap (-1.5) for the visitors.
Match Prediction Auxerre vs PSG: Handicap (-1.5) PSG
Rennes vs Lorient
On Saturday, an intriguing clash between Rennes and Lorient will take place. Both teams have been performing well in the last month and are showcasing football of excellent quality. The "red and blacks" have eight wins in their last 10 matches across all competitions. In the last round, they drew at home with Le Havre (1:1) and recently secured a spot in the French Cup Round of 16. Lorient is also on the rise with an unbeaten streak of nine matches, including a confident victory over Monaco (3:1) in the previous round. Our teams have not left the field without scoring in the last month, so a bet on both teams to score seems relevant here.
Match Prediction Rennes vs Lorient: Both Teams to Score – Yes
Le Havre vs Monaco
The beleaguered Monaco travels to face the inconsistent Le Havre. At the start of this season, bookmakers would have undoubtedly favored the "Monegasques" in such a matchup, but with their current results, there are many questions regarding the outcome. Le Havre has collected four points in the last two Ligue 1 rounds, while Monaco has managed only three points in eight championship matches. Additionally, the "red and whites" were recently thrashed by Real Madrid in the Champions League (1:6). In this situation, we expect an evenly matched contest with not too many goals scored, as the nominal favorite is clearly struggling. We suggest a bet on the total under 3.5 goals.
Match Prediction Le Havre vs Monaco: Total Goals Under 3.5
Marseille vs Lens
In the central match of the 19th round of Ligue 1, Marseille will host Lens. We are in for a battle between teams occupying third and first places in the league table. The "blood and gold" have a winning streak of 10 matches across all competitions, while Marseille has a mixed record with successful matches and defeats. Recently, the "southerners" suffered a heavy home defeat to Liverpool (0:3), and in their last home Ligue 1 match, they found no answers against Nantes. As a result, Marseille has lost twice in a row at home. Lens has won four out of five away matches against Marseille, so we suggest betting on the visitors not to lose in this encounter.
Match Prediction Marseille vs Lens: The Visitors Will Not Lose
Nantes vs Nice
The battle in the lower part of the Ligue 1 standings will unfold between Nantes and Nice. These teams are on the brink of the relegation zone and are in dire need of points. With a change in head coach, the results for the "Eaglets" have slightly improved – in the last league round, they lost to Toulouse (3:1) but managed to secure a win in the Europa League. Nantes is in a critical situation: in the last five Ligue 1 rounds, they have lost four times. Both teams are currently experiencing a crisis, which is not easy to overcome. We expect a low-scoring match from them.
Match Prediction Nantes vs Nice: Total Goals Under 2.5
Brest vs Toulouse
On Sunday, we will witness a clash of solid mid-table teams in the French championship: Brest will host Toulouse. Over the past six years, the "Reds" have not lost at home to the "Violets." Meanwhile, Toulouse's current away results are impressive – they are on a five-match unbeaten run. In the last seven matches across all competitions, Brest has scored at least one goal. Toulouse has a similar story – they have found the net in six out of seven instances. In this situation, betting on both teams to score looks very promising.
Match Prediction Brest vs Toulouse: Both Teams to Score – Yes
Metz vs Lyon
One of the leaders of the current season, Lyon, will visit Metz, who are at the bottom of the French championship standings. The visitors are naturally the bookmakers' favorites. In the last six Ligue 1 rounds, the "Crusaders" have earned only one point, losing five matches. Lyon's situation is the opposite – they are on a seven-match winning streak across all competitions. Recently, they defeated Young Boys away in the Europa League (1:0). Bookmakers are offering quite generous odds on Lyon, so betting on the visitors' victory seems well justified.
Match Prediction Metz vs Lyon: Victory for the Visitors
Paris vs Angers
On Sunday, we will observe a battle of mid-table Ligue 1 teams, Paris and Angers. The capital club, after a series of failures, has started to improve slightly and in recent weeks secured a crucial victory in the French Cup against PSG (1:0), and then defeated Nantes in the league (2:1). Angers is currently on a decline – the team has lost the last three matches in various competitions. The "Black and Whites" ended their French Cup campaign and suffered a heavy defeat to Marseille in Ligue 1 (2:5). Considering that Paris is currently in high spirits and will be playing at home, we suggest betting on a home win.
Match Prediction Paris vs Angers: Home Win
Lille vs Strasbourg
In the final match of the 19th round of the French football championship, Lille will face Strasbourg.Lille and Strasbourg. Both teams are competing for spots in the European competition zone and occasionally display a decent level of football, but they lack consistency. Lille's current losing streak across all competitions is four matches, including two at home. Recently, the "dogs" were defeated by Celta in the Europa League (1:2) and by PSG in the league (0:3). For Strasbourg, it's the opposite – they are unbeaten in seven consecutive matches. In the last round of Ligue 1, they defeated Metz (2:1). Considering these results, we suggest betting on the visitors not to lose in this match.
