Stadium: Parc des Princes (Paris)
PSG have won 9 straight Ligue 1 games since last season, and they will face Montpellier at home this time. Will the home side be able to extend their winning streak in Messi’s absence?
Paris Saint-Germain
Even though Leo Messi has only disappointed so far, PSG have won all seven of their games in the French league and are comfortably at the top of the table. Lately, however, it has not been easy for the Parisians. A draw against Brugge in the Champions League was a surprise and a hard-fought victory over Lyon. Next week, the team will face Manchester City, and because of the very tight schedule, there will be a need for rotation. And there are several losses in the squad. Marco Verratti, Colin Dagba, Layvin Kurzawa, and Sergio Ramos have been out of action, while Messi will also be out due to injury.
PSG newcomer Ashraf Hakimi has been thrilled with his performance so far. The Moroccan defender started the league with seven points, and his brace allowed Paris to beat Metz 2-1 in the last round. Mauricio Pochettino’s side took the lead before the break, almost doubling the advantage, but Mbappe failed to capitalise. In the 1st half, the opponents got back into the game, and then PSG nearly got their 2nd goal when Keylor Navas neutralised a one-on-one. In the end, the Parisians were given a numerical majority, and it was only in the fourth minute that they scored the winning goal.
Montpellier
In 7 rounds of Ligue 1, Montpellier have had two wins and three draws and are currently in 10th place in the table. Lately, the team has been showing an incredible execution of chances. In attack, Stephy Mavididi and Valère Germain more than compensate for the departure of Gaëtan Laborde and Andy Delort. Another good news is the return of defender Tuler after his suspension, while Mamadou Sakho, Thibault Tamas, and Ambroise Oyongo remain injured.
Olivier Dall’Oglio’s side drew 3-3 at home to Bordeaux this week. Both sides made the most of their chances, although, with the scoreline at 2-2, the opponents could have turned the game around and taken the lead. Montpellier were close to clinching the win but conceded a third goal in the 85th minute. The main hero of the game was Valère Germain, who scored a double.
Expert Betting Tips
PSG are not currently playing with such a large margin of error that they cannot be beaten. For example, the Parisians could have conceded two goals from Metz, and it was only in the final seconds that the league leader secured the win. Montpellier are unlikely to demonstrate high execution constantly. PSG have not been creating many chances recently, and it would be good to save some energy before the Champions League. I suggest betting on the following outcomes:
- Handicap 2 (+2) for 1.97;
- Total Under 3.5 goals for 1.80;
- X2 for 3.85.
Other predictions
