PSG v Lille Predictions: Ligue 1 Match on 29.10.2021

The weekend starts here as Europe’s top leagues return to action following a midweek of cup action, including the EFL Cup and DFB German Cup. The race for points and position is back on, and we get going on Friday evening in Paris, France, when PSG play host to Lille in Ligue 1. A meeting of two teams with hopes of winning the league title this season, those in attendance and watching the action live on television across Europe will be treated to a gripping 90 minutes. Will PSG use their home advantage to collect all three points and strengthen their bid to return to the head of the game in France, or will we see an away win upset from a determined Lille?

The Parisians lead the way after 11 games played and look like a good enough side to live up to the pre-season predictions and regain the league title. They haven’t been perfect so far but do boast the players to build on that strong start and open a gap on the chasing pack. A win on Friday evening would help them achieve that. Lille are no mere opponents, and despite knowing the size of the task ahead of them here, those in the away dressing room will believe they can get something from this match.

This will be the second meeting of PSG and Lille this season after clashing in the French Champions Trophy on the opening day of August. Lille were victorious on that occasion, claiming a tense match 1-0 thanks to a goal from Xeka that was scored on the stroke of halftime. PSG are out for revenge, and many pundits have the home team picked as favourites to get the points.

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PSG back on top

PSG finally lost their Ligue 1 title after a decade of dominance and fans will want to see how they bounce back. The greatest teams are judged on extended periods of dominance and the records they break domestically and in Europe but the mark of a strong squad and manager is how they respond to a setback. The 2021 Ligue 1 title is lost, there’s nothing the team can do about that now. All PSG can aim for is to bounce back, build a winning run of form and regain the trophy. That won’t be easy but this side is packed with talent, spending big to attract some of the top names in the game, including Lionel Messi.

The locals sit on top of Ligue 1 with their stats for the season showing nine wins and one draw against a single defeat. They have scored 24 goals and conceded 10. The attack ranks as the highest scorers in the competition at this stage but the defence isn’t nearly as solid as it has been in previous successful campaigns. PSG have conceded more goals than Rennes who are down in fifth place.

Despite sitting in pole position and being in control of Ligue 1 at this stage, PSG have won only one of their last three games, taking four points from the nine available to them. They were held to a draw by Marseille on Sunday, fighting out a 0-0 finish in what was a bad-tempered match marred by crowd trouble. Hikimi was sent off for PSG early in the second half and that seemed to take away much of their good work and chances of getting their noses in front.

Lille slip down the ladder

Lille started the season as a team expected to challenge for the major places, forcing their way into the top four or challenging for a Europa League finish. They may still achieve that but have a lot of work to be done if they are to get anywhere near the prizes. Lille can be found down in midtable, sitting 10th after playing 11 games. Their form so far reads four wins and three draws against four defeats, the kind of form you’d expect from a side stuck in the middle of the league. The visitors have scored 14 goals but conceded 16. That’s just two goals more than Metz, who are second from the bottom of Ligue 1 and more conceded than Reims who are just above the relegation zone.

The away team did climb the table and threaten a fightback recently, putting together a winning run, but they fell back into bad habits and are winless in their last two games, taking one point from the six up for grabs. That slip began with a shock 1-0 loss away to Clermont when Lille were nailed on favourites for the three points. They went into the match with fans believing losing wasn’t an option but returned empty-handed, beaten by a goal from N’Simba scored on 32 minutes. That defeat was followed by draws in the Champions League and Ligue 1 against Sevilla and Brest.

The Champions League game against Spanish opposition ended goalless, with Lille missing several decent chances to take the lead. Still, they were also organised in defence, and the coaching staff will take encouragement from the clean sheet. Lille appear to be struggling fighting on two fronts and were held to a 1-1 home draw by Brest last weekend. David handed them the lead, but they were pegged back by a battling underdog, Faivre scoring on 32 minutes to rescue a point.

PSG v Lille Prediction

PSG are the home team, sitting at the top of the league and with a decent start to the season behind them. They boast players like Messi and Neymar in their attack, which should be enough to see them regain the league title this term and win their home matches in Ligue 1 and the Champions League. If they play anywhere near their potential, they should be good enough to add another victory to their tally.

Lille have blown hot and cold this season, showing signs of what they are capable of and putting together a run of wins but also losing to opponents they really should be beating. It’s been hit or miss from Lille so far, but the players will be desperate to put on a show and prove to themselves and their fans that they are better than their current league position. Winning in Paris will be a tough task, but they have a chance of causing an upset, and we’ve already seen PSG drop points this term.

Ligue 1 odds

22bet members can gamble on over 100 pre-match and in-play markets on this game. PSG are priced at 1.24 to take the points with Lille trading at 12 and the draw 6.1.

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